Potato and Bell Pepper Stir Fry

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Potato and Bell pepper stir fry is another easy recipe that can be prepared in less than 30 minutes from scratch and gets emptied in minutes:) It must be the simplest veg dish that I make.This absolutely delicious stir fry pairs well with hot rotis/Chapathi or you can serve it as a side dish with rice and dal. Other veggies like beans, Carrot or cauliflower can also be added to it.. Read on for the recipe

Ingredients:

Potato : 2

Onion: 2 

Capsicum/bell pepper : 2

Garlic: 5-6 cloves

Oil: 2 tbsp

Cumin seeds: 1 tsp

Red chilli powder: 2 tsp

Turmeric: 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Lemon juice: 1 tbsp

Coriander leaves for garnish 

Method: 

1. Scrub, peel and cut potato into wedges. Cut capsicum into long strips, chop onion into cubes and keep aside.

2. Heat oil in a deep pan and add cumin seeds, sauté for 30 seconds. 

3. Add chopped garlic and onion and sauté until onion turns translucent.

4. Add potato wedges and mix well. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Do not add any water.

5. Potato will start browning on the edges then add capsicum and sauté for 2 minutes.

6. Mix in salt, red chilli powder and turmeric give a quick stir so that everything is combined well. Cook for another 3-4 minutes on high flame and turn off the gas.

7. Add lemon juice and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve delicious stir fried veggies with roti/chapathi.

Notes:
1. Do not over cook the capsicum which will make it soggy. I prefer to keep it slightly crunchier retaining all its flavors.
2. You can add other masalas like coriander powder and garam masala if you like more masala flavors.

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Aloo Gosht | Mutton Chops and Potato Stew

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Aloo Gosht or Mutton Chops cooked with potato chunks is a recipe from India/Pakistan region but the recipe I follow is from a Chinese friend. He used to bring all the ingredients home and make this amazing chops with potato when we had home parties. We used to call it as his signature dish although he didn't have much knowledge of Indian spices or the method of cooking :) It's also my husband's favorite so I tried to replicate it with slight variation and it was an instant hit at home. My in laws totally loved it when they visited us. Its kind of become my signature dish too now;-) I make it only when we have guests at home as I don't eat mutton and my husband needs to empty the pot:)

So here is the recipe of Aloo Gosht | Mutton Chops and Potato Stew tried and tasted by my family and friends.

Ingredients:

Mutton chops : 500  gms
Medium size Potato : 3 
Curd : 1 cup
Curry powder: 1.5 tbsp
Turmeric: 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves: 1/2 bunch
Curry leaves :4-5 sprigs
Green chillies - 5-6 (adjust to your taste)
Ginger : 1 inche
Garlic :  8-10 cloves
Onion :2 medium
Ghee/clarified butter for cooking: 4 tbsp

Method:
1.  Marinate mutton chops with Salt, curry powder, turmeric powder and yogurt and leave for half an hour.

2. Grind coriander leaves, curry leaves, green chillies, ginger and garlic to a coarse paste and add to the marinated chops and leave it for 3-4 hours.

3. Heat ghee in a deep pan and add chopped garlic and saute for 30 seconds.

4. Add chopped onion and saute until it turns golden brown. 

5. Now add the meat piece by piece. Save the remaining marinade paste.

6. Saute till the meat is tender and the masala paste is almost dried up. It takes abt 30 mins. 

7. Add potato cubes and add the remaining marinade paste. Add 1 cup water and cook without lid for about 10 mins then cover the lid, let it cook in low flame until done. It takes abt 1 hour to cook completely. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with Flavored rice or any Indian Flat bread. 

Curry powder:
You can use any store bought curry powder or make it at home.

Ingredients for curry powder:
Mustard:1/2 tsp
Cumin: 3 tbsp
Coriander seeds: 6 tbsp
Red Chilly : 7-8 (preferably kashmiri/byadagi chillies)
Turmeric: 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves: 4-5 sprigs
Pepper corn: 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds : few seeds
Bay Leaf: 1
Cinnamon: 2 pieces
Cloves: 4-5
Green Cardamom: 5-6
Garlic: 4-5 cloves 
Dry roast all the ingredients, put it in a blender along with 2 tbsp fried onion and make a slightly coarse powder. Store in an airtight jar. 

Notes:
1. You can replace it with chicken but reduce the cooking time as chicken gets cooked faster. 
2. Add more water if you like to have more gravy/sauce. 

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Potato and Paneer Stuffed Grilled Capsicum | Grilled Peppers

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When I started the blog in August I was over excited and trying to post everything that I was cooking (almost!). I quite enjoyed checking the comments, views and FB page views etc for about 3 months. Then my initial enthusiasm started fading away, often I started cooking thinking of posting the recipe and halfway I felt bored to click pictures and do plating and I said forget it, will post it next time. I got so busy with my office work and  my hyper active toddler that there came a point when I started wondering is this all? Have I lost interest in blogging so soon?

I kept thinking how to bring back that energy and passion. Then a friend of mine called me to say she is following my blog regularly and she likes the simple ingredients and explanation. I was really happy and the table had turned, I felt charged up and headed straight to the kitchen to find these beautiful, colorful capsicum/bell peppers sitting in the corner of the fridge. They looked so inviting that I decided to try a new recipe. Here is the super delicious potato and paneer stuffed grilled capsicum recipe. It's kind of a paneer burji with some variation that I used as stuffing. After I finished making them I still had energy to make a gravy to go along with it so I guess I am quite motivated now :-) So let's check the list of ingredients (quite a lengthy list but easy to find:)

Cleaned Capsicum Cups

Ingredients:

For Grilled Capsicum
Medium size capsicum/bell peppers : 4
Finely chopped medium onions :2
Finely chopped Ginger: 1 tbsp
Finely chopped Garlic: 1 tbsp
Boiled, peeled and mashed Potato : 1
Grated Paneer/Cottage Cheese : 1.5 cups
Oil: 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds: 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds: 1/4 tsp
Sesame Seeds: 1 tbsp
Red Chilli powder: 1 tsp
Turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder : 1 tbsp
Cumin powder: 1/2 tbsp
Garam masala : 1/4 tsp
Lemon juice : 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Coriander Leaves: 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Wash and dry capsicum, Cut them into half vertically and remove seeds and pith. (See the pic)
2. Heat oil in a Pan and add mustard, cumin and fennel seeds and fry until they splutter. Mix in sesame seeds and stir.
3. Add Finely chopped ginger and garlic and saute until the raw smell disappears.
4. Add finely chopped onions and fry until they turn translucent.
5. Mix in turmeric powder, red chilli powder, Coriander powder, Cumin powder and garam masala and give a quick stir.
6. Add mashed potato and grated paneer, add salt to taste and combine everything well.
7. Add lemon juice and mix in coriander leaves and turn of the flame.
8. Let it cool down a bit, then start filling the mixture into the capsicum cups.
9. Apply a little oil on the stuffed capsicums and grill them at 180 degree Celsius for 15-20 minutes or until you see wrinkles on capsicum.

Ready to go in the oven

Grilled Capsicum

You can skip some ingredients or add some of your own like peanut powder, shredded coconut etc. Also you can top it with grated cheese before grilling if you plan to serve them as starters. I made a simple onion tomato gravy with fresh cream to go with chapathi.

For Creamy Gravy:
Finely chopped Onion : 2
Pureed tomato : 2
Oil: 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste: 1 tbsp
Slit Green Chillies : 2
Red chilli powder: 1/4 tsp
Turmeric Powder: 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Garam masala : 1/4 tsp
Raisins: 1 tbsp (optional)
Broken Cashew: 1 tbsp (optional)
Fresh Cream : 1/2 cup
Salt to taste

Method: 
1. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds, when they splutter add chopped onions and fry until they turn golden brown in color.
2. Add Ginger garlic paste and fry until raw smell disappears. Add in raisins and broken cashews and mix well.
3. Mix in tomato Puree, salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, Coriander powder and garam masala and fry until oil separates.
4. Add 1/2 cup water and bring it to boil, add slit green chillies and boil for 1-2 minutes.
5. Add fresh cream and bring to boil. Turn off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.
6. Drop in grilled capsicum into the gravy before serving with any Indian flat bread.

Ready to serve - Grilled Capsicums in Creamy Gravy

Notes:
1. You can grill the stuffed capsicum on stove top also by arranging them in a single layer in thick bottomed pan and shallow fry them for 8-10 minutes. Keep stirring them in between to avoid burning.
2. The other option is to cook them in microwave. Cook until you see the wrinkles on capsicum.

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Sago or Sabudana kichadi

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Sabudana kichadi is a popular dish from Maharashtra, India.It has no onion and garlic so usually made during fast/vrat during Hindu religious occasions.

The first time I tried this dish, I had soaked sago in lot of water and it was so sticky that I maintained one arm distance from this dish for long.

Later I learnt from a friend's mom that the sago pearls should be soaked in just enough water to cover the pearls to get smooth and fluffy pearls. Then I gave it another try and it was soft and quite tasty.

It's a very simple and easy to make recipe with very few ingredients. Do give it a try and you will have one extra option for breakfast.

Ingredients:

Sabbakki/Sabudana/ sago pearls : 1 cup

Medium size potato : 1

Coarse Peanut powder: 3 tbsp

Sugar :1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil: 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp

Green chillies: 2-3

Curry leaves: 1 sprig

Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp

Coriander leaves: 2 tsp

Method: 

1. Soak sago pearls in just enough water to cover the pearls and leave it overnight. It will turn fluffy and soft in the morning.

2. Boil, peel and dice the potato and keep aside.

3. Mix in peanut powder, sugar and salt to the sago pearls.

4. Heat oil in a wok, add cumin seeds and fry for 30 seconds.

5. Add green chillies, curry leaves and turmeric and sauté for 30 seconds.

6. Add diced potato and stir well for 2-3 minute.

7. Next add the sago mixtures and let it cook on medium flame for 4-5 minutes until it turns transparent and soft.

8. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

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