Red Coconut Chutney

A hot and tangy dip of roasted lentil,coconut and red chilies

In south Indian cuisine chutney and podi are very important part of the meal .Different types of chutnies are made to serve with snacks like idli ,dosa and vadas.The most popular chutney from south India is undoubtedly coconut chutney and tomato chutney.
This red coconut chutney is also very popular to serve with idli and vadas.you can adjust the quantity of red chilies according to your taste.
Chana daal is roasted in little oil and then whole red chilies and coconut is roasted to release the aroma and tamarind is added before grinding to add tanginess. Then a flavorful tempering of mustard.curry leaves and lentils is added to give a wonderful aroma.

Cooking time-5 min
Prep time-10 min
Difficulty level-easy
Spice level-tangy
Type- side,dip
Cuisine-South Indian

INGREDIENTS-

• Bengal gram/chana daal- 3 tbsp
• Fresh coconut,grated - 1 cup
• Dried whole red chilies -12
• Dry tamarind - small lemon sized
• Salt - to taste
• Cooking oil -2  tbsp
• Mustard seeds -1 tsp
• Curry leaves -10
• White lentil /urad daal - 1 tsp

PROCEDURE-

1. Heat oil in a heavy pan.
2. Add chana daal and roast on low flame till it beacome red in colour.
3. Add red chilies and saute till it change its colour.
4. Add coconut and tamarind and remove the pan from the flame..
5. Stir fry for few seconds.
6. Let it cool down completely.
7. Add the ingredients in a mixer jar .
8. Add some water and salt and grind to make a smooth paste.
9. Take out the chutney in a bowl
10. Heat 1.5 tsp of oil in a small pan and add urad daal and mustard seeds
11. When seeds start crackling add asafoetida and curry leaves.
12. Now add the tempering in the chutney and mix well
13. Stay fresh for 2 days at room temperature then keep refrigerated

Serving suggestions- serve with idli, dosa, vada, paniyaram, rice or any snack of your choice

Aloo Tamatar Ki Subzi - Potato and Tomato Curry

Quick and easy tangy potato and tomato curry

Aloo tamatar ki subzi is a classic combination and the most popular curry of North India.This is amongst the easiest and most delicious recipe to make with a combo of potatoes and tomatoes.This is made on all festive occasion as well as a daily quick fix curry. It goes very well with pooris, Bedvi ,  Daal poori , but you can serve it with any Indian bread.You can also make this for fasting as it is made without using onion and garlic like all my recipes

Boiled and mashed potatoes are cooked with tomato puree and then a simple but flavourful tempering is added in the end,so you don't need to stand beside the pan to stir fry all the masala etc.just add everything and let it cook for about 6-8 minutes and then just add the tempering and a delicious curry is ready to serve .
The consistency or thickness of the potato curry depends on individual choice ,as some prefer to make it quite thick and some like to have it on thinner side so add water according to your preference.

If you like potato curries then check these -Vrat ki aloo curry,  Mathura ke dubki waley aloo  , Dahi ke aloo,  Dum aloo masala , Aloo Gobhi ki subzi  and many more potato recipe in my blog

Prep time - 10 min
Cooking time -15 time
Difficulty level - easy
Spice level - medium
Cuisine - North Indian
Type - side,main
Serve - 5

INGREDIENTS-

• Potato/aloo, boiled- 4 (450 gms)
• Tomato/tamatar ,chopped -350 gms
• Green chilies/hari mirch ,chopped - 1 tsp
• Fresh coriander,chopped- 2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder/haldi -3/4 tsp
• Chili powder /lal mirch - 1.5 tsp
• Coriander powder/dhaniya - 1tsp
• Sugar/chini- 1 tsp
• Salt /namak- to taste

Temering /waghar/tadka

• Cooking oil /Tel - 1.5 tbsp
• Clarified butter /ghee - 1.5 tbsp
• Cumin seeds/jeera - 1 tsp
• Asafoetida /hing -1/4 tsp
• Curry leaves /kadi patta - 10
• Whole red chilies,dried - 4
• Kashmiri red chili powder - 1/2 tsp

PROCEDURE-

1. Peel and coarsely mash boiled potatoes.(don't make a paste)
2. Grind chopped tomatoes and green chilies in the mixer and make a fine and smooth paste.
3. Take a pan and add mashed potatoes and the ground tomato paste.
4. Add all the dry spices, few curry leaves  and 2 .5 cups of water in the pan.
5. Mix well and let it cook on medium heat for about 7-8 minutes or till it thicken slightly.
6. Now heat oil and ghee in a small pan.
7. Add cumin seeds ,when seeds become golden in color add asafoetida ,curry leaves and whole red chilies.
8. Switch off the flame and after 2-3 seconds add the kashmiri mirch powder in the tempering.
9. Now pour the tempering over the boiling gravy.
10. Switch off the flame and add chopped coriander in the curry.
11. Cover with a lid and wait for 5 minutes so it will absorb all the flavors.
12. Serve hot.

Serving suggestions-serve with poori ,paratha or any bread.

NOTE-

1. You can add little more or less water in the curry according to the consistency you want to have in the curry .
2. Can also add some boiled peas at step -3 

Lauki Tamatar ki Subzi

Mildly spiced bottle gourd and tomato curry

Lauki /Bottle gourd is a summer special vegetable. It has excellent health and nutritional benefits and is very low in calories. Lauki is considered among the top recommended vegetables in Ayurveda as it is very quick and easy to digest so this is very good for sick and weak patients,you can give the boiled bottle gourd puree to small kids also .As it is very mild and blend in taste so you can do so many variation and experiments with this humble vegetable.It is also a low budget and very easily available vegetable so can be easily used and made regularly.

I usually mix it with lentils and make Chana daal and lauki ki subzi , Lauki ka kofta and Lauki ka raita ,not only curries but sweets and desserts can also be made with lauki ,I have posted the recipe of making healthy and easy -Lauki ki kheer and Lauki ka halwa.

When you go to buy bottle gourd try to choose a small or medium size firm bottle gourd with bright and shiny green colour, as big sized lauki may be over riped and mature and have hard peel and thick seeds which didn't taste good and take much time to cook.A simple trick which I learned from my mother is to lightly press your nail in the bottle gourd peel, if it is tender and fresh then your nail will very easily pierce the bottle gourd but if you cant press easily then it is surely over ripe and hard so avoid buying such type of bottle gourd.

Every one in my family likes lauki so I make it often. Lauki taste great with mild and fresh herbs so you don't need to add too much spices and oil  in bottle gourd curry.  This mildly spiced tomato and lauki ki subzi is a favourite of everyone .I have used fresh spice to make this curry,Tomatoes gives a very nice and fresh tangy taste to this curry.You can also add a small potato in the curry if you wish.but don't add too many powdered spices.

Prep time -10 min
Cooking time -10 min
Difficulty level - easy
Spice level - mild
Cuisine - North Indian
Type -side,main

INGREDIENTS-

• Bottle gourd /lauki /gheeya- 550 gms
• Tomato/tamatar,chopped -200 gm (2 medium)
• Green chili /hari mirch, chopped- 2 tsp
• Turmeric powder /haldi - 1/2 tsp
• Salt /namak- 1 tsp
• Sugar /chini- 1/3 tsp
• Ghee or cooking oil- 2 tbsp
• Cumin seeds /jeera- 1tsp
• Asafoetida /hing- 1/3 tsp
• Fresh coriander/dhaniya - 1.5 tbsp

PROCEDURE-

1. Peel bottle gourd and chop in medium size pieces.
2. Heat ghee or oil in the pressure cooker.
3. When ghee become warm then add cumin seeds.
4. When seeds start crackling add chopped green chilies and asafoetida.
5. Now add chopped tomato and salt.
6. Stir fry for few seconds.
7. Add turmeric and chopped bottle gourd in the cooker.
8. Add 1 cup of water in the vegetables and mix.
9. Close the lid of pressure cooker and cook on medium heat .
10. Cook for about 3-4 whistles or till it cooks completely.
11. When cool down completely then open the cooker and mix sugar and chopped coriander.
12. Mix and serve with a spoon of ghee on top.(optional)

Serving suggestions- Taste best with hot and fresh chapatis or parathas.

NOTE-

1. Choose fresh and tender bottle gourd ,hard bottle gourd take much time to cook and didn't taste very good.
2. Make sure to remove all the hard and thick seeds of bottle gourd, but no need to remove the small tender seeds.
3. You can add some more water if you want a thin gravy.
4. You can also add a piece of potato if you like.
5. Can use ghee or oil in the tempering but ghee taste best in bottle gourd curry.
6. Can add 1 tsp of lemon juice if needed.