This restaurant-style salsa is quick n easy. All you need are a few minutes of you time and a handful of ingredients which are readily available in your pantry!  The freshness of the tomatoes, the zestiness of the lime clubbed with the heat from the jalapenos and the aroma of the cilantro, together balance the flavors very well and tastes just like the restaurant version.

Why homemade Salsa?

The thought of making homemade salsa started after noticing my son going crazy over chips and salsa whenever we visit Mexican restaurants. I mean, how could I blame him, we all love it, right? And when he started asking for the same at home too, I used to give him store bought salsa initially. But watching how he used to drink & gulp it (lol, I donno what else to say), it made me concerned about the quality of store-bought ones and the preservatives present for longer shelf life, not to mention the high amount of salt and sugar added for taste. That was the moment I finally decided to try my hand on a homemade version. And trust me, that was the right decision and never have I turned back to store bought salsa again. Also, I can’t be happier watching my son savor mommy’s homemade salsa!

Is Salsa Healthy?

Yes, tomato being the main ingredient of Salsa, it is an excellent source of Vitamin C with anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Salsa is also low in calories, helps with digestion, boosts your immune system and promotes heart health.

How to store?

Leftovers can be refrigerated in an air tight container for up to a week. I do not recommend freezing salsa as it is best enjoyed when freshly made without any preservatives.

Interested in other Mexican food recipes? Check these out:

1. Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
2. Crispy Fish Tacos
3. Salmon Tacos with Avocado crema
4. Easy Homemade Guacamole

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Homemade Restaurant Style Salsa

Quick and Easy Homemade Salsa, made with a few simple ingredients! Top your salads, tacos & fajitas,or enjoy as a dip with your favorite tortilla chips.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword homemade salsa, mexican, salsa

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 7

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 can diced / crushed tomatoes 14.5 oz
• 2 fresh tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 jalapeno
• 1 handful of cilantro
• Juice of 1 lime
• ½ of a medium sized onion
• Salt (as required)

Instructions

• Blend all the ingredients together and check for the seasoning.
• Allow it to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

1. You can remove the seeds of the jalapenos to make it less spicy.
2. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week.

The post Homemade Restaurant Style Salsa appeared first on Pepper Delight.

If your New Year resolution is to look out for healthy swaps to your usual favorites, then this Air Fried Cauliflower Steaks is a great option. This recipe is inspired by the classic Chicken Parmesan, having replaced the chicken with Cauliflower. It’s a vegetarian low carb meal which requires minimum effort and is so tasty that meat eaters would love it too.

Cauliflower is a house favorite vegetable, although we mostly end up making an Indo-Chinese style Manchurian or a simple Indian style stir fry with potatoes. But they all require rice or roti as a carb side to go with. Recently we started looking out for low carb meal options and have experimented various recipes, of which my husband loves a very few. Among them, these air fried cauliflower steaks were a huge hit.

The recipe needs fewer ingredients; some basic spices, olive oil, cheese and marinara sauce. Since its Italian inspired, marinara sauce and cheese play an important role to enhance the flavors unlike the regular “boring dried cauliflower”.

How to cut the cauliflower steak?

1. Use a small knife to first cut all the leaves, keeping the core intact.
2. Using a big knife (like a Chef’s knife), slice the cauliflower into half by cutting it in the center.
3. Hold each half vertically and carefully slice 1-inch steaks.

This recipe would still work if you don’t have a full head of cauliflower or if you couldn’t slice the cauliflower into steak cuts. You can use the florets and apply the sauce and top with cheese, which tastes equally good. Just make sure to cut the bigger florets in half so that they cook evenly.

Interested in other Air Fryer recipes? Check this out:

Air Fryer Chicken Tenders

Happy Cooking…!

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Air Fried Cauliflower Steaks

Italian inspired Cauliflower Steaks with Marinara Sauce and Cheese… A Delicious Low Carb Dinner for your busy Weeknights!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword air fried, cauliflower, parmesan cauliflower

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 cauliflower head
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp pepper
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup Marinara sauce
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup mozzarella cheese
• Parsley (chopped, to garnish)

Instructions

• Slice the cauliflower into 1 inch steak cuts.
• In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, pepper and salt, to prepare the marinade.
• Brush the marinade on both sides of the cauliflower steaks, and Air Fry for 10-12 mins at 375 degree F, flipping them halfway through the cook. Check the steaks with a fork for tender softness to ensure they are cooked well.
• Once cooked, remove the steaks from the Air Fryer and spoon 1-2 tbsp of marinara sauce on each steak. Top them with equal parts of Mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese.
• Air fry again for 2-3 mins until the cheese is melted and brown. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Serve hot.

The post Air Fried Cauliflower Steaks appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Sadya is the biggest vegetarian feast of Kerala, served for festivals like Onam, Vishu and of course on auspicious occasions. Out of the “n” number of Sadya special dishes, Olan stands out as a subtle curry which is light, hearty, and deliciously complements the flavours of the different Sadya curries.

The main ingredients of this dish are Ash Gourd (Kumbalanga) / Winter Melon and Red Cowpeas (Vanpayar). Both are cooked and simmered in a flavourful coconut milk-based gravy, spiced with green chilies. The coconut milk is used and cooked in two stages; 1. while cooking the ash gourd 2. to top the curry at the end with thick coconut milk.

Olan is commonly served as one among the many sides of Sadya, but can also be served as a side with boiled rice and some spicy curry. Do try out this recipe and let me know your feedbacks in the comment section below.

Interested in other Sadya recipes? Check it out here:

Sadya Recipes

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Olan / Ash Gourd Coconut Milk Curry

Olan! A Sadya Special, made with Ash Gourd / Kumbalanga,Red cowpeas & simmered in a Coconut milk-based gravy.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword kerala, kerala sadya, Olan, sadya

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 2 cups of ash gourd/ kumbalanga (cubed)
• ½ cup red cowpeas / vanpayar
• 2 green chilies (slit)
• ½ cup water
• 1 cup thin coconut milk
• ¼ cup thick coconut milk
• 2 sprigs of curry leaves
• ½ cup water
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• salt (as required)

Instructions

• Soak red cowpeas overnight.
• Pressure cook the soaked cowpeas with a little water, for up to 1 whistle. Make sure not to overcook the beans making them mushy, it should retain its shape.
• In a pan, cook ash gourd by adding ½ cup water, green chilies, 1 sprig of curry leaves and little salt. Once it starts boiling, add thin coconut milk and cook on medium flame.
• Cook until the veggies are cooked perfectly, but still holds its shape. Add the cooked red cowpeas, mix well, and adjust the seasoning.
• Reduce the flame and add thick coconut milk. Allow it to cook for 1 more minute and then switch off the flame. Top with coconut oil and curry leaves.
• Allow the curry to rest for 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!!!

The post Olan/ Ash Gourd Coconut Milk Curry appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Beetroot is a house favorite! Everybody in my home including my little one loves this vibrant vegetable. In spite of it being healthy, I know that there are many beetroot haters out there. The earthy smell of the vegetable is a put off for many and so are the complaints that it tastes like mud. But from my experience, I’ve learned that properly cooking beetroot with the right ingredients help to eliminate the smell completely, thereby making it tasty and a healthy option to add to your daily menu.

Beetroot has so many health benefits; is high in fiber, packed with vitamins and minerals, and rich in folate and manganese thereby helping to strengthen the bones. It also helps to improve the digestive health, lowering the blood pressure, and has anti-cancer properties.

There are so many different ways you can include beetroot in your diet. One of our favorite recipes is the Kerala Style Beetroot Pachadi which is a beetroot and yogurt combination.  A Mediterranean style Beetroot hummus is another colorful option you can add to your menu or even this Beetroot Power Smoothie with apple and pomegranate.

Now let’s talk about today’s recipe which is a simple stir-fried aka thoran version of beetroot, which makes a great pair with steamed rice. The recipe is easy, uses regular thoran ingredients like coconut, jeera/cumin seeds and green chilies, and in-addition too I have added carrot which complements perfectly with beetroot. You can include or skip carrot suiting your palate, either way it tastes delicious!!!

Interested in more thoran / Kerala stir fry dishes? Check these out:

1. Carrot Cabbage Thoran
2. Broccoli Vanpayar Thoran
3. Tender Jackfruit / Idichakka Thoran
4. Yam Stir fry / Chena Thoran 

Interested in other Beetroot recipes? Check these out:

1. Beetroot Power Smoothie
2. Beetroot Hummus
3. Kerala Style Beetroot Pachadi / Beetroot with Yogurt

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Beetroot Carrot Thoran / Stir fry

BeetrootCarrot Thoran / Stir fry - A colorful and healthy side dish made with beetroot,carrot and coconut! A perfect accompaniment with rice.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian, Kerala

Keyword beetroot thoran, cabbage thoran, kerala

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 large beetroot (finely cubed / grated)
• 2 medium sized carrots (finely chopped / grated)
• ½ cup grated coconut
• 2 garlic cloves
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 green chilies (slit)
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 1 sprig of curry leaves
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 dry red chilies
• Salt (as required)
• Oil (as required, pref. coconut oil)

Instructions

• Heat a little oil in a pan on a medium flame, splutter mustard seeds and add curry leaves and dry red chilies.
• Add beetroot, carrot and salt, mix well and close the lid. Reduce the flame and cook it for 5-7 mins.
• Grind coconut, garlic, cumin seeds, green chilies, and turmeric powder to a smooth paste. Keep aside.
• Open the lid and stir everything together. Add the grinded coconut mix and stir well, allow it to cook for a few more minutes until it becomes soft and well cooked, stirring occasionally. Check for the seasoning.
• Switch off the flame and serve with steamed rice.

Notes

• You can skip carrot and use beetroot alone to make this recipe, which also tastes equally delicious.
• Using coconut oil is recommended for all authentic Kerala recipes.
• Adjust the quantity of green chilies used, suiting your spice levels.

The post Beetroot Carrot Thoran / Stir fry appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Hello 2022!

Welcoming the New Year on a royal note with a Nawabi style dal / lentil stew which is rich and so delicious.

Sultani dal is a specialty of Awadhi cuisine, which belongs to the Northern part of India, Uttar Pradesh. The first time I tried Sultani dal was a few years back at a restaurant in Hyderabad, and then later at a friend’s party after which I got totally hooked into it. This is not your ordinary lentil curry if you are wondering, it is a royal dish which was served to Nawabs in palaces, ages ago.

A bowl of piping hot dal along with basmati rice is totally a food heaven. The recipe is fairly simple being mild on spices but using ingredients like ghee, milk, yogurt, and cream, making it rich and creamy. The consistency of the dal is smooth velvety and the ghee tadka with cumin, ginger and garlic totally elevates the taste all together. Plus, lentils are healthy and a great way to add vegetarian protein to your diet.

If this is the first time you are preparing this dish, then cooking dal with milk might feel a bit skeptical, but trust me, it is beyond delicious. We love Sultani dal so much that it has become a part of our weekly menu and my son enjoys every spoonful of it.

Sultani Dal

Serve it alongside with basmati rice, jeera rice, paratha, naan or roti. Enjoy!

Interested in other dal recipes? Check these out:

• Sambar
• Kale and Zucchini dal

Happy Cooking…!

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Sultani Dal

Sultani Dal / Lentil stew - A Rich n Creamy Royal Dish from the Nawabi Cuisine! 

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 cup toor dal / yellow pigeon peas
• Pinch of turmeric
• Salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup water
• ¼ cup yogurt
• ½ cup cream

Tempering/Tadka

• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds / jeera
• 2 dry red chilies
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• ½ inch sized ginger (minced)
• 2 green chilies (slit)
• 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
• Cilantro leaves (for garnish)

Instructions

• Pressure cook dal along with water, milk, turmeric powder and salt, for 2 whistles. Switch off the flame and allow it to cool until all the pressure has been released.
• Remove the lid from the cooker and turn on the heat to a medium flame.
• Add yogurt and milk cream, mix well and allow it cook until it forms a thick dal consistency.
• Prepare the tadka by heating ghee in another pan, add cumin seeds, dry red chilies and sauté for 1 min. Add ginger, garlic, green chilies, and sauté until the raw smell subsides. Add onion, sauté for 3 minutes until onions turn translucent.
• Pour the prepared tadka over the dal, mix everything together and check for the seasoning.
• Top with cilantro leaves and switch off the flame. Serve hot along with rice, paratha, naan or roti.

The post Sultani Dal / Lentil Stew appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Inji curry … an inevitable side dish of Sadya and a mouthwatering delicacy, is a popular recipe from Kerala cuisine. It’s an amalgamation of flavors; spicy n salty with the aroma of ginger in warm spices, all in a perfect balance! There is a saying in Malayalam about Inji curry; a dish equivalent to 101 curries (നൂറ്റൊന്ന് കറിക്ക് സമം).

This recipe is from my Amma’s cookbook which is more of a Travancore style and a spicier version. A variation of this dish is also very common with additional ingredients like grated coconut and small onions, but has a much lesser shelf life. This recipe is completely different in taste from that of Puli Inji which is a Malabari style dish having similar ingredients and cooking instructions but uses much more tamarind and jaggery, making the curry spicy, sweet and tangy.

Few things to consider while making Inji Curry:

1. Ensure to slice ginger thinly and proportionately, as it will help in frying them evenly without any burnt ends.
2. Ginger slices should be fried till they turn brown and crisp, that’s what makes the curry tasty.
3. Adding a pinch of jaggery at the end is optional, but it helps to balance the taste.
4. You can store ginger curry  at room temperature initially for 2 days, but refrigerate thereafter to prevent decay.

Enjoy Inji curry as a side dish along with Sadya or with steamed rice.

Interested in other Kerala style pickle recipes? Check these out:

1. Mango Pickle
2. Lemon Dates Pickle

If you would like to check out my other Sadya recipes, click here.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Inji Curry / Ginger Curry

Aromatic and Spicy Kerala Style Inji Curry, a must try Classic from Kerala Cuisine …!!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian, Kerala

Keyword ginger curry, inji curry, kerala pickle

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 1 16 oz mason jar (approx)

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 300 gm inji/ginger
• 3 tbsp chili powder
• 2 green chilies (sliced round)
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp kayam/asafoetida/hing
• ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds (roasted & powdered)
• lime sized puli / tamarind (soaked in ½ cup warm water)
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 dry red chillies
• 3 sprigs of curry leaves
• 1.5 cup water
• Coconut oil (as required)
• Salt (as required)

Instructions

• Prepare ginger: Clean and scrape off the skin, cut ginger into thin slices and soak in water for 10 minutes.
• Fry ‘em up: Squeeze out the water from the ginger slices and fry in hot coconut oil until crispy and browned.
• Allow the fried ginger to cool completely, then transfer it to a blender and grind into fine powder. Keep aside.
• Prepare tamarind extract: Squeeze the tamarind in the soaked water, strain the juice and keep it aside.
• Prepare spice powder mix: In a separate bowl, mix water, chili powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida, fenugreek powder and keep aside.
• Make curry: In a separate pan on medium flame, heat oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add dry red chilies, green chilies and curry leaves. Sauté for a minute.
• Add the prepared spice powder mix, tamarind extract, and increase the heat to max allowing the curry to boil.
• Once it starts boiling, reduce the flame to a low and add the fried ginger powder, mix well.
• Allow the curry to cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring in between until it reaches a semi thick consistency.
• Check for the seasoning, add a pinch of jaggery to balance the taste.
• Once it reaches your desired consistency, switch off the flame.
• Storage: Transfer to a clean dry glass jar or a ceramic jar / bharani to store. You can keep it outside for 2 days and then refrigerate it.

Notes

• Small onions / shallots are an optional ingredient for this recipe.
• Coconut oil is recommended in this recipe, any neutral oils except for olive oil can also be used.
• Adjust the quantity of chili powder and green chilies to suit your spice levels.
• Use a clean dry glass jar or a ceramic jar / bharani to store pickles. Do not use steel or metal jars as the acidic nature of the pickles may react with the metal and become toxic.
• You can store the pickles at room temperature initially for 2 days, but refrigerate thereafter to prevent decay.

The post Inji Curry / Ginger Curry appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Pachadi is generally referred to any vegetarian yogurt-based curry, and is a quintessential dish of Sadya (the biggest vegetarian feast of Kerala). It tastes slightly sour, sweet, and tangy, which varies depending on the type of vegetable or fruit used as its core ingredient, and is mildly hot.

In a pachadi, you can use vegetables like cucumber, beetroot, ash gourd, or pumpkin, or even fruits like pineapple or banana. The core vegetable/fruit is then cooked in a base sauce made of coconut cumin paste, after which it is mixed with yogurt and topped with a tempering of mustard seeds and curry leaves.

A specialty of this vellarikka pachadi is the extra addition of ground mustard paste in addition to the tempered mustard seeds. The recipe is fairly simple with usual pantry ingredients, and can makes a quick side dish for your busy days.

Interested in other pachadi recipes? Check these out:

• Beeroot Pachadi / Beetroot Yogurt Curry
• Mathanga Pachadi / Pumpkin Yogurt Curry
• Madhura Curry / Pineapple Grapes Curry

If you would like to check out my other Sadya recipes, click here.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Vellarikka Pachadi

VellarikkaPachadi /Yellow Cucumber in Yogurt – A mildly spiced yogurt-based curry!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian, Kerala

Keyword pachadi', sadya, vellarika pachadi

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 large yellow cucumber / വെള്ളരിക്ക
• 1 cup grated coconut
• 2 green chilies
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp + ½ tsp mustard seeds
• 2 dry red chilies
• 2 sprigs of curry leaves
• 1 cup yogurt (beaten)
• Oil (as required, pref. coconut oil)
• Salt (as required)
• Water (as required)

Instructions

• Peel, deseed and dice the cucumber into small bite sized pieces. In a pan, cook cucumber with a little water (just enough to cover it) and salt, until it is cooked well and turns soft.
• In the meantime, grind grated coconut with cumin seeds, green chilies, and 2-4 tbsp of water, into a smooth paste. Keep aside.
• Once the cucumber is cooked, add the ground paste into the pan, mix well and allow it to cook for another 2-3 minutes until the raw smell of the paste subsides. Turn of the flame and allow it to cool slightly.
• Crush ½ tsp mustard seeds into a paste using a mortar pestle.
• Once the cucumber mix turn mildly hot, add the beaten yogurt and crushed mustard seeds, mix well. Check for the seasoning.
• In a separate pan, prepare the tempering by heating a little oil, splutter mustard seeds. Add curry leaves and dry red chilies. Top it over the curry and enjoy!

The post Vellarikka Pachadi / Cucumber Yogurt Curry appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Another favorite from my mom’s collection, which I got to savor a lot recently during her stay with us. Yam / Elephant foot yam / Suran is a tuber plant with lots of health benefits and is pretty common in Kerala, in fact most of the households cultivate it in their backyard garden. The root as well as the stem of the plant is used for cooking, mostly to make stir fry. Yam root is also a main ingredient in Aviyal & Kootu Curry, the two popular Sadya side dishes. In today’s recipe, I have made a simple thoran / stir fry using the root of yam plant.

Thoran is a staple in every kitchen in Kerala because it makes the easiest side dish with steamed rice. You can make a thoran with pretty much any vegetable and also with fish or chicken. The main ingredients in a thoran are vegetables of course along with a grated coconut mix; includes coconut, jeera / cumin, turmeric powder, garlic, and a hot ingredient (green chilies or red chili powder).

The tastemaker of a yam thoran is the final addition of roasted fennel seeds powder. Since yam is considered as a hard vegetable, it needs something which gives the extra zing to lift the taste, and that’s where fennel comes in. This vegetarian side dish makes a quick and easy meal for your busy days and a perfect combination with steamed rice and tempered buttermilk (moru curry).

Interested in more thoran / Kerala stir fry dishes? Check these out:

• Idichakka Thoran / Tender Jackfruit Stir fry
• Carrot Cabbage Thoran / Stir Fry
• Broccoli Vanpayar Thoran / Red Cowpeas Stir Fry

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Chena Thoran / Yam Stir fry

Chena Thoran … A Simple & Mildly Spiced Yam Stir Fry with Coconut and Spices, served as a side with Steamed Rice!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian, Kerala

Keyword chena thoran, kerala, thoran

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 340 gm chena / elephant yam / suran
• 1 cup grated coconut
• 2 garlic cloves
• ½ tsp chili powder
• ¼ tsp cumin seeds
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp fennel seeds / പെരുംജീരകം (roasted & powdered)
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1 sprig of curry leaves
• Water (as required)
• Salt (as required)
• Oil (as required)

Instructions

• Scrub, clean, and peel off the skin of yam. Cut the yam into small cubes.
• In a saucepan, cook the yam by boiling in enough water and salt until it is soft. Do not overcook, it should hold its shape.
• Grind coconut, garlic, cumin seeds, chili powder and turmeric powder to a smooth paste. Keep aside.
• In a kadai / pan, splutter mustard seeds and add curry leaves and dry red chilies.
• Add the cooked yam, along with grinded coconut paste, mix well and close the lid to cook for 2 minutes in low flame.
• Add fennel powder, toss well and check for the seasoning. Cook for another 2 minutes in low flame and switch it off.
• Serve with steamed rice and tempered buttermilk on side. Enjoy!

Notes

• Using coconut oil is recommended for all authentic Kerala recipes.
• Adjust the quantity of chili powder used, suiting your spice levels.
• You can also use frozen yam (daily delight brand) for making this recipe.

The post Chena Thoran / Yam Stir fry appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Christmas is around the corner and here I am gearing up my holiday recipes. Since my mom who has been staying with me for the last couple of months would be with us for a few more weeks, we are cooking up storm and shooting all traditional & homely Kerala recipes which I have been promising you guys for a long time.

Talking about today’s recipe “Stew”, it is a dish which resonates with Christmas for every Malayalee. The Christian families in Kerala are known for their stew recipes, and be it made with chicken, mutton, fish or vegetables, the dish is DELICIUOS… Pair it with a side of Appams or Idiyappams for breakfast, you have a match made in heaven!

The recipe is pretty simple and light on spices, but big on flavors. The preparation of the veg and non-veg versions are almost similar except for the protein or veggies used. The warmth from the whole spices and the blend with coconut milk gravy gives the dish its unique aroma which makes your whole house fragrant as it cooks.

Vegetable Stew is a perfect dish to add veggies to your Christmas menu if you plan to load it up otherwise with non-veg dishes. Not only does it introduce a pleasant palate shift, it’s light on your stomach and complements the rest of your feast.

Interested in other Stew recipes? Check these out;

• Kerala Style Chicken Stew
• Kerala Style Mutton Stew
• Kerala Style Fish Stew / Fish Molly / Fish Molee

Also, don’t forget to check out my Appam (Hoppers) recipe which goes perfectly with Stew.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Vegetable Stew

Kerala Style Vegetable Stew with Spices and Veggies simmered in a Coconut Milk based gravy. Perfect for a cozy breakfast with Appams or Idiyappams on the side!

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian, Kerala

Keyword chicken stew, kerala, vegetable stew

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

Spices

• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 cloves
• 2 cardamom pods
• 3-4 black peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 star anise

For the Stew

• 1 medium sized onion (sliced)
• ½ inch sized ginger (finely chopped)
• 2 green chili (or more, slit)
• 1 potato (cubed)
• 1 carrot (cubed)
• ½ cup beans (chopped, lengthwise)
• ½ cup frozen peas
• ¾ cup thin coconut milk
• ½ cup thick coconut milk
• ½ tsp black pepper powder
• 2 sprig of curry leaves
• ½ cup water
• Salt (as required)
• Oil (pref. coconut oil) (as required)

Instructions

• Pressure cook potato, beans, and carrot with water and a little bit of salt, for 1 whistle. Keep aside, allow the pressure to release on its own.
• Heat oil in a pan, add spices; cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaf and star anise. Sauté until fragrant.
• Add 1 sprig of curry leaves, ginger and green chilies. Once the raw smell of the ginger subsides, add onion and sauté until translucent.
• Add the pressure-cooked vegetables, followed by adding thin coconut milk. Close the lid and allow it to cook on a low flame. Once the stew starts boiling, add frozen peas.
• As the dish starts boiling again, check for the veggies to be cooked perfectly and once done, add thick coconut milk. Do not allow the stew to boil after this stage.
• Top the stew with pepper powder and check for salt. Swirl the pan once and cook for another 2 minutes on a low flame. Top with 1 sprig of curry leaves and coconut oil. Turn off the flame.
• Serve with Appam, Idiyappam, Chapathi or bread.

Notes

• Using coconut oil is recommended for all authentic Kerala recipes.
• Adjust the quantity of green chilies used, suiting your spice levels.

The post Vegetable Stew appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Soya ularthiyathu / soya kheema roast / shredded soya roast – call it whatever you like, but one thing I can assure you – it tastes damn delicious!!! The dish looks appetizing too – like a minced meat / kheema roast, or shredded beef burnt ends; but in a Kerala style with curry leaves and coconut bites! In fact, this has been one of the most requested recipes by my Instagram followers after seeing it on my lunch platter pics.

The tale of soya in my home has been quite interesting; from non-existent to a permanent spot in my pantry. We never used to buy it until a few years ago when my sister-in-law introduced me to her Soya Chunk Roast recipe, which I really enjoyed as it tasted like a non-veg dish. But my husband played the villain here as he never showed interest to soya in any form, not even the roasted version. Although, he would rave about the soya biriyani prepared in the mess during his college days, and how he couldn’t believe that in the dish it was soya and not beef. Going by his words even though I have never seen or tasted it, I tried replicating the soya biriyani of his dreams, but failed miserably. So being back to square one, I made up my mind to figure out a way to tempt my husband to like soya dishes, thereby making my dinner nights easy with some quick cooking.

Soya is the perfect meat alternative for vegetarians and vegans alike, who are seeking a protein filled diet. High in protein and fiber content, soya is also a good source of nutrients including folate, riboflavin and vitamin K. And that’s why it’s known a veg protein or meal maker dish.

The thought of soya as a meat alternative and its roasted texture resembling beef was the idea behind this recipe. To change its external appearance and texture, I shredded it mimicking that of kheema / minced meat. And finally taking a few tips from one of the most popular recipes on my blog “Beef Ulartiyathu / Beef Dry Roast”, I added coconut bites to give that extra crunchiness. Rest is the same from my sissy’s recipe, and Voila! A success and my husband loved it!!!

While following the instructions of this recipe, make sure to squeeze out maximum water from soya or else the roasting time may increase due to the water content. The slow roasting of the soya is the main highlight of this dish, resulting in a dry texture and a meaty taste.  This is a great side to go along with roti or rice, some yogurt, fresh cucumber and carrots. And if you’re looking to wow folks who do not enjoy soya (like my husband, and most kids), think no further and try out this recipe, I’m pretty sure you gonna impress them.

Bonus tip – Soya rolls: An alternate way to savor this dish is by rolling the shredded soya in a roti/tortilla along with some fresh veggies and a yogurt drizzle, easy peasy and yummy.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Shredded Soya Roast / Soya Ularthiyathu

Healthy & Nutritious, Shredded Soya chunks roasted ina spicy aromatic masala ... A perfect choice to woo your non-soya fans and meatlovers alike!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian, Kerala

Keyword soya, soya roast, vegetarian

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 2½ cups of soya chunks
• 2 medium sized onions (finely chopped)
• ½ inch sized ginger (crushed)
• 3 garlic cloves (crushed)
• 2 green chilies (slit)
• 1 tbsp red chilly powder (or more if you like heat)
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp black pepper powder
• 1 tsp + 1 tsp meat masala / chicken masala / garam masala
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 strands of curry leaves
• ¼ cup coconut bites
• Oil (as required)
• Salt (as required)
• Water (as required)

Instructions

• Prepare soya chunks: Heat water in a pot, once it starts to boil turn off the flame and soak soya chunks in it for about 20 minutes, this helps the chunks to soften and plump. Drain the pot, squeeze out the remaining water from the chunks and place on a paper towel, keep aside.
• Shred the soya: In a blender, using the pulse mode; pulse soya in batches until it forms a finely shredded form. Do not make it a paste. Alternatively, you can cut it into fine chopped pieces either.
• Prepare the masala: In a wide pan (preferably nonstick), heat some oil in a medium flame and splutter mustard seeds. Add 1 sprig of curry leaves and sauté.
• Followed by adding sliced onions, salt and sauté until golden. Add crushed ginger and garlic, sauté until the raw smell subsides.
• Reduce the flame to low and add chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, 1 tsp meat masala and mix well, sauté for another 2 mins.
• Roast: Add the shredded soya, coconut bites and salt to the masala and roast it for 15 – 20 minutes until all the moisture dries out.
• Add the remaining 1tsp of meat masala, pepper powder and curry leaves during the roasting process to infuse with the soya. Taste and add salt as needed.
• Roast until it forms a brown texture. Switch off the flame and allow it to sit for 15 minutes before serving.
• Serve: Goes well with steamed rice or roti/naan, and some fresh veggies (as shown in the picture).

Notes

1. Make sure to squeeze out maximum water from the soya chunks, otherwise the roasting time may increase due to the water content.
2. You can adjust the heat of the dish according to your spice levels, by varying the quantity of chilli powder and green chilies used.
3. Coconut oil is recommended for all Kerala recipes, you may also use any other oil except for olive oil.

The post Shredded Soya Roast / Soya Ularthiyathu appeared first on Pepper Delight.

During my childhood days, potatoes were one of my least favored vegetables. I never enjoyed it in curries or stir-fried dishes, not even in poori masala which is a popular breakfast in Kerala. I used to swap the potato masala with some other leftover curries or just simply eat poori dipped in sugar. But there was one exception, and that was in the masala dosa filling.

Anyways, coming back to this recipe… years went by and everything changed. I moved out of my hometown, to a new city, new country, new cuisines, and somewhere along that journey potatoes just became a part and parcel of my diet, a pretty common (though not frequent) in my pantry!

Taking about the dish of the day, this potato curry is one of the simplest recipes, so easy to cook, and equally loved by adults and kids. The highlights of this dish are; just a handful of ingredients, mildly spiced, and a creamy coconut milk gravy. And to sum up the cooking with an inevitable ingredient of the dish is the addition of fennel powder, which brings out the aroma and flavors of this curry!

This potato curry is the best side dish you can serve with poori (fried flat bread) also with chapathis, idiyappams or appams. As a pro tip from my Amma, if you are preparing this recipe to go along with chapathis, adding ½ tsp garam masala during the cooking would make your meal taste even better.

Interested in more veg side dishes which goes with poori? Check these out:

• Vegetable Kurma
• Varutharacha Kadala Curry / Roasted Coconut Chickpeas Curry

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Kerala Style Potato Curry

Quick and Easy Kerala Style Potato Curry…simmered in a creamy coconut milk-based gravy! This light masala curry makes a great side dish with pooris, idiyappams or chapathis.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian, Kerala

Keyword potato, potato curry

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 3 medium sized potatoes (cubed)
• 1 large onion (finely chopped)
• 2 green chilies (slit)
• ½ tsp chili powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp fennel seeds / പെരും ജീരകം (roasted and powdered)
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 sprig of curry leaves
• 2 dry red chilies
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup of coconut milk (medium thick)
• Oil (as required)
• Salt (as required)

Instructions

• Heat a little oil in a pan and add onions, green chilies and salt; sauté until the onions turn lightly translucent (ensure not to brown them).
• Add potatoes and sauté to mix with the onions for 2 minutes.
• Follow by adding chili powder, turmeric powder, and mix well. Add water and lower the flame to a medium, place the lid and allow it to cook until the water boils.
• Once it starts boiling, remove the lid, add coriander powder, and continue cooking with the pan open until the potatoes are cooked and turn soft.
• When the water starts reducing, lower the flame and add coconut milk and fennel powder. Check for the seasoning and continue cooking.
• When the curry starts to slightly boil and bubble, turn off the flame. We do not want to cook it beyond this stage. The curry will thicken after a while.
• Prepare the tempering in a separate pan by heating oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add curry leaves and dry red chilies, pour this to the potato curry and mix well.
• Serve hot with poori, chapati, idiyappam, appam or naan

Notes

1. If you are making this curry as a side along with chapatis, adding ½ tsp garam masala to the above ingredients would taste and suit this recipe better – Pro tip from my Amma.
2. Coconut oil is recommended for all Kerala recipes, you may also use any except for olive oil.

The post Kerala Style Potato Curry appeared first on Pepper Delight.

It’s Onam, and I’m here with my roundup of tasty Sadya recipes from Pepper Delight, for you to Cook, Enjoy, & Celebrate with your Family and Friends.

Please note: I do not have all the Sadya recipes here, but plenty enough to give you a head start and keep your tastebuds tingling!

This page will be updated as and when I upload more, so bookmark it and come back for next Onam, Vishu, any celebrations, or just stop by when your body craves for those yummilicious Sadya dishes.  

അച്ചാർ / Pickles

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തോരൻ / Stir fry

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Side Dishes

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പച്ചടി – കിച്ചടി / Side dishes with Yogurt

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ഒഴിച്ചു കറി / Curry

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പായസം / Desserts

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The post Kerala Sadya Recipes appeared first on Pepper Delight.

It’s here! The festival month of Kerala, and Onam is just around the corner! Did you guys start planning already? How are your Onam preparations coming along?

One of my goals this year was to have plenty of Sadya dishes on Pepper Delight and post a round up for you to try them all at once, right in time for your festival preparations. So, stay tuned as I have a killer Sadya dish coming up in the next few days followed by my Onam recipe round up in a week. And I am sure you’re going to definitely love it!

Coming back to the recipe of the day; Cabbage Carrot Thoran! This stir fry dish is pretty popular in Kerala, which you can cook in 15 minutes. Thoran aka Upperi is the generic Malayalam word for any stir fry dish made with grated coconut. The recipe is super simple and flavorful from the combination of ginger, garlic, green chilies, and cumin. To give the dish its own twist, I’ve modified the original recipe by adding grated carrot along with the cabbage (Thanks to my dear friend Ammu for the tip), making it visually appealing and enhancing the flavours. Unlike other thoran recipes, this one doesn’t require any grinding of the coconut. All you need is a good hand mix of the ingredients and then stir fry for 10-15 minutes, your Thoran is ready!

Pro tip: Use of cast iron pan is ideal for this cabbage carrot thoran recipe as it brings more flavor. Also do not add water while cooking cabbage, as it makes the stir fry soggy.

Interested in more thoran/Kerala stir fry recipes? Check out my Tender Jackfruit/Idichakka Thoran recipe here.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Cabbage Carrot Thoran / Stir Fry

Healthy n Hearty Kerala Style Cabbage Carrot Thoran … A Stir Fry Flavored with Ginger, Garlic, Chilies and Cumin, makes a Great Side Dish with Steamed Rice…!!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword cabbage thoran, kerala, kerala sadya, sadya, thoran

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• ½ of one large cabbage (grated)
• 1 large carrot (grated / finely chopped)
• 5-6 pearl onions (sliced)
• ½ cup grated coconut
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 green chilies (chopped)
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• 1 sprig of curry leaves
• 2 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• ½ inch sized ginger (finely chopped)
• 2 tsp urad dal (skinned black gram) or rice
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 dry red chilies
• Salt (as required)
• Oil (as required)

Instructions

• In a large mixing bowl; using your hands or with a spoon, mix cabbage, carrot, pearl onions, green chilies, grated coconut, turmeric powder, cumin powder, and a pinch of salt. Keep aside.
• Heat some oil in a pan, add urad dal and allow it to turn slightly golden. Splutter mustard seeds and add curry leaves and dry red chilies.
• Add ginger and garlic, saute until they are fragrant.
• Reduce the flame to low, add the cabbage mix and close the lid to cook for 2-3 minutes. Open the lid and mix everything together and allow it to cook for few more minutes, stirring occasionally. Check for the seasoning. Serve with steamed rice.

Notes

• You can skip carrot and use cabbage alone to make this recipe, which also tastes equally delicious.
• Use of cast iron pan is ideal for this recipe as it brings more flavor.
• Do not add water while cooking cabbage, as it makes the stir fry soggy.
• Using coconut oil is recommended for all authentic Kerala recipes.
• Adjust the quantity of green chilies used, suiting your spice levels.

The post Cabbage Carrot Thoran / Stir Fry appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Pickles are a staple in every Indian kitchen! You will find not just one but many varieties; made with different types of fruits & vegetables, preserved in big jars for up to a year or the next season, and to cater to the household needs and festival/party servings. In my hometown Kerala, it is during the festival time of Onam and Vishu that we make different types of pickles all at once. They are served in Sadya (the biggest vegetarian feast of Kerala) and among them, mango, lemon and ginger pickles are the highlight.

Lemon pickle is the favorite at my home and my amma makes it during the festival season or when I’m visiting home on vacation. While returning back, I carry big jars of homemade pickles with me as it’s something I can’t live without. Packaging the pickles in large airtight jars, vacuum sealing it to prevent leaks, and carefully packing in the suitcases is a day’s process in itself, but we happily do it like a ritual every time.

The type of lemon used to make pickle vary across India. In Kerala we use the Giant Bitter Lemon / Wild Lemon, locally known as karinaranga. It’s a bigger version of a regular lemon, has the size of a pomelo, and is quite bitter.  But the pickles made out of it just tastes out of this world! We also make different varieties of lemon pickles combining other fruits & vegetables. It takes the flavors to a whole new level, giving it hints of sweet, tangy, sour and balancing the overall bitterness of the lemons. Among them, the dates version stands out and makes a great combination with lemon. I have tasted lemon dates pickle so many times at marriage feasts, but never got a chance to try my hands on it in the kitchen. Last year when my friend’s mom visited the US, we had a lot of cooking moments together where she taught me so many recipes and tips. This lemon dates pickle recipe is from her cookbook, Thank You Aruna aunty for sharing this wonderful recipe which has indeed become my all-time favorite pickle.

You will also find a variation of this recipe with ginger in it which is common in other parts of Kerala, though not in my hometown. If you love the taste of ginger, give it a try. Just include it while adding garlic when following my instructions. Also do keep in mind that the thick outer skin of the lemon can add way too much bitterness to the pickle and may not be enjoyed by everyone. The overnight marination of the steamed lemons in this recipe helps in reducing the bitterness and balancing the taste along with the sweetness of the dates.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

Also guys, don’t forget to check out my Kerala Style Mango Pickle recipe.

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Lemon Dates Pickle

Aromatic Sweet and Sour Kerala Style Lemon Dates Pickle … A Perfect Combination with Rice, Biriyani & Parathas ...!!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword achar, kerala pickle, lemon dates pickle

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 2 jars of pickle

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 5 big or 10 small lemons
• 20 dates (chopped)
• 5-6 garlic pods (sliced)
• 3 green chilies (chopped)
• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 sprigs of curry leaves
• 4 tbsp kashmiri chili powder (or more)
• ½ tsp fenugreek powder
• 2 tsp asafoetida / hing / കായം
• Gingelly oil (നല്ലെണ്ണ)/ sesame oil (as required)
• Pinch of sugar
• ¼ cup vinegar (or more depending upon the sourness)
• Salt (as required)
• 1 cup hot water
• Water (for steaming lemons)

Instructions

• Steaming Lemons: Wash the lemons thoroughly. Steam for 10 -15 minutes, or until the lemons swell with the skin becoming soft and forming cracks.
• Allow it to cool completely and then cut into small pieces (½ inch sized). Discard the seeds at this time.
• In a glass bowl, mix the sliced lemons with salt, a pinch of sugar, and keep aside with the lid placed allowing it to rest for 1-2 hours at least, preferably overnight.
• Pickling lemon and dates: In a pan, heat sesame oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add sliced garlic, green chilies, curry leaves and sauté.
• When the garlic turns aromatic and light brown in color, lower the heat and add chili powder, fenugreek powder and asafoetida. Sauté the masala for 1-2 mins, make sure not to burn it.
• Follow by adding chopped dates and saute for 3-4 minutes, then add 1 cup of hot water and bring the curry to a boil.
• When the curry starts boiling and thickening, add the marinated lemons to it. Mix well, add vinegar and check for salt and sourness. Combine everything well and give a good stir. Switch of the flame and allow it to cool.
• Storage: Once completely cooled, transfer the pickle to a clean dry glass or ceramic jar and close it with a tight lid. Keep it outside for 3-4 days (depending upon the weather at your placand then refrigerate it.
• Serve with steamed rice or biriyani.

Notes

1. Use of gingelly oil (നല്ലെണ്ണ) / sesame oil is ideal for all Kerala style pickle recipes, otherwise you can use any oil except for olive oil.
2. Discard the seeds of the lemons as they add a lot of bitterness.
3. Adjust the red chili powder and green chilies according to your spice level.
4. Use a clean dry glass jar or a ceramic jar / bharani to store pickles. Do not use steel or metal containers as the acidic nature of the pickles may react with the metal and become toxic.
5. You can store the pickles at room temperature initially for a few days, but refrigerate thereafter to prevent decay.
6. Variations of this recipe with ginger is also very tasty, try it out if you like.

The post Lemon Dates Pickle appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Kadala curry, a Malayalee’s Favorite! And among all the combinations with which it is served as the side, Puttum Kadalayum (പുട്ടും കടലയും) tops it hands down! Puttu (steamed rice cake), Kadala curry, and crushed papad, makes it an insanely delicious meal and is a common breakfast served everywhere; right from roadside eateries, households, all the way to being served as a delicacy in luxury hotels in Kerala.

I have a lot of memories of this dish to share with you all, as it is also one of my favourite recipes from my mom’s cookbook. Although Kadala curry is the better side dish with Puttu, ripe bananas are also savored as a side with puttu and since it’s much easier to prepare, my mom used to serve putu with banana frequently for breakfast during my school days, and I quickly got bored and started hating it. I guess not only at my home, this combo is a cheat meal for all Malayalee moms since it was the only relief amidst all the morning craziness; cooking breakfast & lunch, packing all the lunch boxes, getting the kids ready for school, husbands to work, and finally yourselves on time.  But being a very quirky girl then, I rebelled by skipping breakfast if served puttu with banana, which made my mom upset. Knowing my love for kadala curry, she finally agreed to prepare it under the condition that I eat puttu with banana on alternate days. But honestly, now I do feel the pain she went through as I struggle here to just perfect the dish each time I cook it.

The perfection of this recipe lies in the roasted coconut paste. Grated coconut should be evenly roasted on a low flame until it turns evenly brown. This is a bit challenging as you need to hit the sweet spot where it is neither under nor over roasted or burnt, and this requires a hell-lotta patience. Once properly roasted, the spice powders are added and given an extra 3-4 minutes of cook time before setting aside to cool. The cooled mix is then grinded into a smooth paste, and if perfectly roasted you will start to see oil oozing out of the paste making it rich and creamy. Do not worry if you don’t see the oil, as the curry will still be delicious and the grinded coconut paste makes your gravy thick n luscious.

There are some pre-prep works behind this recipe as chickpeas require a longer cooking time. Soaking it overnight and pressure-cooking the next day helps in easing out the cooking process thereby saving time and resulting in a perfectly cooked dish.

This curry in addition to puttu (steamed rice cake), also makes a great combination with appam (hoppers), idiyappam (string hoppers), roti or rice.

Check out my other Kerala special breakfast side dish recipes :

• Kerala Style Mutton Stew
• Kerala Style Chicken Stew
• Vegetable Kurma

Happy Cooking…!

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Varutharacha Kadala Curry/ Roasted Coconut Chickpeas Curry

Black Chickpeas, Cooked and Simmered in an Aromatic Roasted Coconut Gravy with Crunchy Coconut Bites - Varutharacha Kadala Curry / Roasted Coconut Chickpeas Curry ...!

Course Breakfast, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword chickpeas curry, kadala curry, kerala

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For Roasting Coconut

• 1½ cup grated coconut
• 3 small onions (sliced)
• 2 garlic pods (sliced)
• ½ inch sized ginger (sliced)
• 1 green chilly (slit)
• 3-4 black pepper corns
• 2-3 curry leaves
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp chili powder (add more if you like it hot)
• 1½ tsp coriander powder

For the Curry

• 1 cup dry black chickpeas / kadala / kala chana (washed & soaked overnight)
• 1 medium sized onion (sliced)
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• ½ tsp garam masala
• 2 tbsp coconut tidbits / Thengakothu
• 1 sprig of curry leaves
• 2 dried red chilies
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• Water (as required)
• Oil (as required)
• Salt (as required)

Instructions

For Roasting Coconut

• Heat a pan and dry roast grated coconut along with small onions, ginger, garlic, green chilies, pepper corns and curry leaves on a low to medium flame until it starts turning lightly golden brown.
• When you start seeing a golden / light brown color, add the spices; chili, coriander and turmeric powder. Stir on a low flame for another 2-3 minutes until roasted well, be careful not to overdo nor turn dark brown. Turn off the flame and allow it to cool. If you are using whole spices, you need to roast them from the beginning along with the coconut at step 1.
• Once cooled, grind all the roasted ingredients into a smooth paste. While grinding, the roasted coconut will release its oil, indicating that you roasted it perfectly.

For the Curry

• Pressure cook the soaked chickpeas along with onions, salt and water (just enough to cover the chickpeafor 3 whistles. Allow it to rest until the pressure goes off. Keep aside.
• You can either make the rest of the curry in the pressure cooker itself or transfer cooked chickpeas along with water to a wide pan.
• To the pan, add the roasted coconut paste, stir and mix well. Add more water if you prefer your curry with more gravy. Allow the curry to boil.
• Meanwhile in a separate pan; dry roast fennel seeds for 2 minutes until its fragrant. Allow it cool and using a mortar and pestle, ground it into a fine powder.
• Once the curry starts boiling, add the ground fennel powder and garam masala.
• Onto the same pan used for roasting the fennel, heat some oil and add the coconut tidbits. When the coconut starts turning lightly brown, add mustard seeds. Allow it to splutter and then add curry leaves and dry red chilies.
• Add this tempering into the curry, mix, place the lid on the pan, and turn off the flame. Allow it to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot with puttu (steamed rice cake), appam (hoppers), idiyappam (string hoppers), roti or any bread.

Notes

Coconut oil is recommended for all authentic Kerala recipes.

The post Varutharacha Kadala / Roasted Coconut Chickpeas Curry appeared first on Pepper Delight.

A veggie loaded wrap spiced up with chaat masala, tangy tomato ketchup, green herb sauce, and pickled chilies; all rolled together to make a delicious wrap of your dreams – Yes, the Frankie!!!

The food culture of India has its roots from a variety of cuisines of its subcontinent, ranging from Royal Hindu & Mughal dishes all the way to traditional & native street foods. Street food popularity has gained ground over the years, and with the onset of social media, internet, and easy accessibility of information about the best places to dine, more are more customers are exploring the tastes of the street. In the earlier days, it was only the locals or working class who knew about their favorite nearby stalls, but now with the help of food blogs, millions of YouTube videos, and lately the upcoming trend of food series on Netflix n Amazon, people are ready to travel all around the world to savor these mouth-watering dishes which they have to offer. Also, the wide range of customers from both the corporate and non-corporate worlds are demanding quality food, hygiene conditions, cheaper price and obviously a quick-n-fast food like service, which none other than these road side eateries can offer, beating their expectations.

Street food is no more just a means of living; it’s an art, passion, tradition, and an identity. It’s also a great source of income, people are ready to pay and where there is good food, there is good money. Street food is all about authenticity, variety and taste.

Every state has its own popular street dish and Frankies are the pride of Mumbai streets, from the hearts of Maharashtra. Although it is quite common across India, Frankie is a north Indian delicacy. It is like an Indian style taco or a Veggie burrito with the exclusion of rice from its ingredients. The highlight of a veg Frankie is its potato stuffing, and its flavor binding element is the Chaat masala.

Chaat masala is a tangy, spicy, salty masala powder which elevates the flavor of your dish with an authentic taste. It is made from a range of spices including mango powder, coriander seeds, black pepper, asafoetida, Himalayan black salt, cumin seeds, dried mint and ground ginger.

Boiled and mashed potatoes spiced with chaat masala along with fresh vegetables, herbs, cilantro mint chutney, tangy ketchup, pickled chilies and cheese, completes this wrap. You can use your choice of roti or bread and also all your favorite add-on veggies like julienned carrots and bell peppers. The meatier variations of Frankie with paneer or non-veg ingredients are equally popular and favored on the streets.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Veg Frankie

A veggie loaded wrap spiced up with chaat masala, tangy tomato ketchup, green herb sauce, and pickled chilies; all rolled together to make a delicious wrap of your dreams, Presenting to you the Famous Street Food from the Hearts of Mumbai – Frankie…!!!  

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword frankie, indian, wrap

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the potato masala

• 2 large potatoes (boiled and mashed)
• 2 garlic cloves (crushed)
• 1-2 green chilies (chopped)
• ½ inch sized ginger (crushed)
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp chaat masala
• Oil (as required)
• Salt (as required)
• Handful of cilantro leaves (finely chopped)

For the green chilly vinegar

• 2 green chilies (chopped)
• 1 tsp sugar
• ½ cup white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp salt

For the green chutney

• 1 big handful of cilantro leaves
• 1 small handful of mint leaves (optional)
• 1 shallot
• 1 garlic
• 1-2 tbsp yogurt
• 1-2 tbsp lemon juice
• Salt (as required)

For assembling the frankie

• Roti / tortilla
• Ghee / butter (as required)
• tomato ketchup (as required)
• Veggies: onions (chopped), cabbage (sliced)
• Mozzarella cheese (grated)
• Chaat masala
• Oil (as required)

Instructions

• To prepare the potato masala: Heat oil in a pan on medium flame; add garlic, ginger and green chilies. Sauté for 2 minutes until aromatic.
• Add mashed potatoes, followed by turmeric powder, chili powder, chaat masala and salt. Mix the spices and potatoes, check for seasoning and cook for another 5 minutes. Top with cilantro leaves and keep aside. Allow it to cool completely.
• To prepare the green chilly vinegar: Mix all the ingredients for green chilly vinegar in a small bowl. Keep aside and allow it to rest for at least 2 hrs before using. The leftovers can be refrigerated and used for up to 2 days.
• To prepare the green chutney: Grind all the ingredients for green chutney, into a smooth fine paste. Check for the seasoning.
• To make the frankies: Smear a little oil on your palm and prepare cylindrical shaped potato masala patties (as shown in the picture) by rolling it in your palms. Keep aside.
• Prep the roti / tortilla by applying a little ghee / butter on both sides. If you are using a previously prepped roti / tortilla, heat it on a pan once.
• On a flat surface, lay the rotis and apply tomato ketchup on the top and spread it evenly to form a thin layer. Add the chopped onions and cabbage evenly. Place the prepared potato patty on the center of the roti and drizzle chilly vinegar and a spoonful of green chutney over the patty evenly. Sprinkle a pinch of chaat masala over it and finally, top it with grated cheese.
• Now carefully fold the roti from one edge to the other, rolling it to form the frankie and secure it with toothpicks. Slice it into equal halves.
• Serve the frankies with leftover green chutney or tomato ketchup. Enjoy!

Notes

• Chaat masala can be bought from any local Indian or Asian grocery stores. 
• Allow the green chilly vinegar to rest and infuse for at least 2 hrs after preparation, so that the flavors set in.

The post Veg Frankie appeared first on Pepper Delight.

So, officially its “Chakka” season a.k.a. Jackfruit season in my hometown, one of the favorite phases in every Malayalee’s life. It indeed is… the whole process right from plucking the fruit to cooking it into a delicious dish, is a Celebration! Jackfruit reminds me of the extended family get-togethers during my childhood days. As kids, we used to gather around the trees to watch the tree climbers climb them, tie these heavy fruits with rope and slowly lower them after cutting their stem. From there on the jackfruit is handed over to the ladies in the kitchen, which was a different world altogether. They gathered and sat on the floor leisurely cutting and cleaning the fruits, separating the flowers from the seeds to be used in various dishes, while the elderly women moved onto preparing the dishes. And the whole time the air was filled with chit-chats, gossip talks (my favorite part) and the mouth-watering aroma of the dishes being prepared.

No wonder Jackfruit is also known as the official fruit of the Kerala state!

Jackfruit being the largest tree-borne fruit is a quite complex one, the ability to use pretty much every portion of it and make a wide variety of dishes is quite astounding. Except for its outer skin of green thorns which we discard (not wasted though as it is an excellent feed for cows & they love it), the rest of the fruit is used completely in dishes, for e.g. crispy chips (ചക്ക ഉപ്പേരി), jam (ചക്ക വരട്ടിയത്), steamed dumplings (കുമ്പിളപ്പം) , dessert (ചക്ക പായസം), curries (ചക്ക അവിയൽ), stir fry (ഇടിച്ചക്ക തോരൻ), brazil nuts stir fry (ചക്കക്കുരു മെഴുക്കുപുരട്ടി )… and the list goes on!

This tender jackfruit stir fry recipe is one of my favorites here in the US, and brings back sweet old home memories each time I cook. Since the fresh ones are very difficult to find, I use frozen or canned versions bought from Indian/Asian grocery stores. And you don’t need to doubt their quality, they taste equally good as their fresh counterparts.

The flavors of tender jackfruit are quite different than their ripe ones and make a delicious stir fry with spices, chilies and coconut. Bird’s eye chilies (കാന്താരി മുളക്) are preferred to give this dish the right amount of heat but you can also substitute with green chilies to suit your spice levels.

Happy Cooking…!

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Idichakka Thoran/Tender Jackfruit Stir fry

Tender Jackfruit a.k.a. Idichakka, Cooked and Stir Fried with Coconut, Chilies and Spices… Pairs Perfectly with Steamed Rice. 

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword idichakka thoran, jackfruit, tender jackfruit stir fry

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

To make the coconut mix

• ½ cup grated coconut
• 2 garlic pods
• 2-3 bird’s eye chilies / green chilies
• 3-4 fresh curry leaves
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ¼ tsp cumin seeds

To make the thoran

• 1 small fresh Idichakka / tender jackfruit OR 1 frozen packet (semi-cooked)
• Water (as required)
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 3-4 pearl onions
• 1 sprig of fresh curry leaves
• 1 tsp urad dal (split black gram lentils) / rice
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 dry red chilies
• Salt (as required)
• Oil (as required)

Instructions

• Using fresh tender jackfruit: Cut the whole tender jackfruit into large chunks using a well-oiled knife. Peel of the green thorny skin from the outer chunks until no-green is visible, discard the peeled off skin. Cut the chunks into smaller pieces.
• To cook the jackfruit, you can can either pressure cook or pan cook along with water (enough to cover the jackfruit), turmeric powder and salt. If pressure cooking, cook for one whistle and allow it cool down until the pressure is released, strain and keep aside.

OR

• Using frozen semi-cooked tender jackfruit: Transfer the jackfruit from the packet to a skillet along with water (just enough to cover the jackfruit), and boil with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder for 10-15 minutes on a medium flame. Strain it and keep aside.
• Shred: Shred the cooked jackfruit by either mashing it with a masher or using a blender, but make sure not to grind it into a paste.
• Grind coconut mix: Grind all the coconut mix ingredients listed above to make a coarse mix.
• Mix’em up: Using a wooden spoon or your hands, mix well the grinded coconut mix and the shredded jackfruit.
• Cook’em up: In a pan, heat a little oil and add urad dal. When the dal turns light brown, add mustard seeds, dry red chilies and curry leaves.
• As the mustard seeds start spluttering, add the jackfruit-coconut mix, sauté and cook on a low flame for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check for the seasonings. Switch off the flame and serve with hot steamed rice.

Notes

1. You can use any brand of frozen tender jackfruit, I generally use Daily Delight’s Tender Jackfruit and at times also buy the canned ones - Green Young Jackfruit from the brand Chaokoh. 

2. Use of coconut oil is ideal for all Kerala recipes.

3. If available, you can use birds eye chilies (കാന്താരി മുളക്) instead of green chilies for making this recipe.

The post Idichakka Thoran / Tender Jackfruit Stir fry appeared first on Pepper Delight.

“Navratan” – nav meaning ‘nine’ and ratan for ‘gems’… As the name suggests, the dish is exotic in every aspect and is also referred to as the Nine Gems Curry or Nine Jeweled Curry. The nine main ingredients in this recipe are a combination of vegetables & fruits. “Korma” which has its royal origins from the Mughlai cuisine of the Indian subcontinent, signifies dishes cooked in a mix of spices, dry fruits, nuts and cream. Together, Navratan Korma is a culmination of exotic and royal flavors, a delicacy with a perfect balance of spices!

One of the highlights of this recipe is the flexibility it provides in terms of the ingredients used. Although requiring nine main ingredients, you do not have to stick to a fixed set and instead can cook with what is available in your pantry. Paneer being a good protein source can also be added to this dish, although it is a personal choice and not a mandate, you can make this dish without paneer as well. This recipe is also an excellent source to include a variety of vegetables in your diet. The creamy consistency and its mild n sweet taste makes even kids to enjoy it without much hesitation.

There are many variations of this korma; using different spices, adding fresh fruits, replacing cream with yogurt, and so on. However, this method of preparation is my personal favorite. I love the addition of raisins and honey along with fresh fruits, which give the dish a natural sweetness. For all the vegans out there, you can easily convert this recipe into a vegan version by simply substituting milk cream with coconut milk, butter/ghee with coconut oil, honey with maple syrup / brown sugar, and paneer with tofu.

Navratan korma is a usually served during the festive season but can be enjoyed anytime, it is also a restaurant delicacy. It is a comfort food and its creamy texture makes it a perfect side dish to go with roti, naan or rice.

If you love Korma dishes, check out another recipe from my blog archives; a South Indian style Vegetable Kurma.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Navratan Korma

An Exotic Dish from the Hearts of Mughlai cuisine, Navratan Korma! Made with Nine different Vegetables, Fruits and Nuts in a Mild & Semi-Sweet Creamy Gravy!!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword korma, kurma, navratan korma

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the curry paste

• 4-5 cashews
• 1- inch sized ginger
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 large onion (roughly cubed)
• 2 big tomatoes (roughly cubed)

Veggies

• ¾ cup cauliflower florets
• ½ cup frozen green peas
• ½ of a red bell pepper (cubed)
• ½ of a green bell pepper (cubed)
• 1 carrot (cubed)
• 1 potato (cubed)
• ½ cup beans (sliced an inch length)
• ½ cup paneer (cubed)

For the korma

• 1 tbsp butter/ghee
• ½ tsp cumin
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp coriander powder
• ¼ tsp garam masala
• ¼ cup cashews
• ¼ cup raisins
• 1 tbsp kasuri methi / dried fenugreek leaves (crushed)
• 1-2 tbsp honey
• ¼ cup milk cream (optional)
• 2 cups water (plus more)
• Cilantro leaves (chopped, to garnish)
• ¼ cup pomegranate seeds (to garnish - optional)
• Oil (as required)
• Salt (as required)

Instructions

• Slice ‘em up: Clean and cut veggies as per the above ingredient list. For more veggie options see notes section below.
• Cook hard vegetables: Boil cauliflower, potatoes, beans and carrots by adding turmeric powder, salt and water (just enough to cover the veggies) until they are cooked well. Strain, reserve the stock, and also keep aside the cooked veggies separately.
• Fry ‘em up: In a small pan, toast paneer cubes on both sides until they are golden. Transfer to a bowl and in the same pan, fry cashews and raisins until they are golden. Keep aside.
• Make the curry paste: In a pan, heat little oil on medium heat and add cashews, ginger, garlic, onions. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, followed by adding tomatoes. Sauté until they are slightly cooked and mushy. Switch off the flame and allow it to cool. Once it is cooled, grind them into a thick paste.
• The Curry: Heat butter/ghee in a large pan, add cumin seeds and bay leaf. Sauté until they are fragrant. Add the grinded curry paste, sauté and cook until the color of the curry slightly changes and becomes thick.
• Add spice powders: Chili, turmeric, coriander powder and garam masala. Sauté for 4-5 minutes on a low flame until the oil starts to separate.
• Add bell peppers and green peas; mix well with the masala.
• Add 1 cup of the reserved stock, season with salt and bring the curry to a boil. Once it starts boiling, add the cooked veggies and 1 tbsp honey; check and add more if needed. Add crushed kasuri methi, stir and mix the curry well.
• Add toasted paneer, fried cashews, raisins and milk cream. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Check for the seasoning.
• Garnish: Switch off the flame and garnish with cilantro leaves. Garnish with pomegranate seeds once the curry is slightly cooled and ready to serve.
• Serve: Goes well with Rice, Roti, Naan or any bread. Enjoy!

Notes

1. Veggies: Red Green Yellow bell pepper, cauliflower, beans, carrots, green peas, potato, broccoli, snow peas, squash, corn

2. Fruits: Pomegranate seeds, grapes, pineapple

3. To make it Vegan: Substitute milk cream with coconut milk, paneer with tofu, ghee / butter with coconut oil, and honey with maple syrup / brown sugar.

4. The strained water / stock in which the veggies were cooked in step 2 can be reserved for step 8 while preparing the curry.

5. If you are adding pineapple or grapes, you can add them at step 9.

The post Navratan Korma appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Hello 2019! A New Year, a New Beginning…!

Starting off this year with one of my favorite recipes which has been a frequent in my kitchen lately – Paneer sandwich with cilantro sesame sauce! It’s a delightful fusion of pan-seared paneer patties & sautéed onions sandwiched between ghee-toasted bread with a spread of a creamy cilantro sesame sauce. The highlight of this dish is that, it’s completely vegetarian, masala-free, light, & healthy.

Paneer being an excellent protein source, is an inevitable ingredient in the diet of vegetarians in India. But it is also equally loved by non-vegetarians for its taste, and the variety of delicious & exotic dishes made out of it. The credit of this recipe goes to my sister-in-law who served us this finger-licking sandwich during our last trip to California, a fun-filled vacation time I had with friends & family! She is a vegetarian and an excellent cook too, her dishes are always an inspiration for me to explore the veggie side of my culinary skills. Her version of this recipe was made with grated paneer & finely chopped onions, tightly packed into a sandwich with loads of the cilantro sauce. Initially when I saw the sauce drenched paneer bits falling of the sliced sandwich halves, I was a bit skeptical thinking it might be a spicy masala overload, something which I am not a fan of in sandwich recipes. But, trusting her creations I went for it, took my first bite, closed my eyes, and OMG! It was beyond delicious, creamy yet light n refreshing, had literally zero masala, and YUM!

After being back from my vacation, I started experimenting with this dish; combining it with different vegetables & sauces, but somehow none of it could beat the wowness the original recipe had. Finally, one day I thought to toast the paneer just like how we sear chicken or any other meat, and hoped it would be ok as after all it’s a protein. Bingo, it worked! Toasting gave it a nice charred n smoky flavour which complemented well with the green sauce. The sandwich turned out to be a hit and from then on, I have been repeating it in my dinner menu often.

This sandwich recipe is purely vegetarian, healthy, light n filling, and best of all… so easy to cook! The sesame seeds in the sauce makes it smooth and creamy, and the green chilies give a spicy kick too. You can skip it if you don’t like the heat, as it is completely optional. And if you have any leftover sauce after preparing your sandwich, do not discard! Coz it makes an awesome dipping sauce to dunk your sandwich into.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Paneer Sandwich with Cilantro Sesame Sauce

Toasted Paneer Sandwich layered with a Creamy Cilantro Sesame Sauce – A Simple, Healthy & Delicious Protein filled Dinner ready in just 10 minutes!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword paneer, paneer sandwich, sandwich

Prep Time 7 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 17 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 14 oz. paneer
• Salt and pepper
• Onion rings
• Oil (as required)
• Ghee (for toasting bread)
• 8 bread slices

For the Cilantro Sesame sauce

• One big handful of cilantro leaves
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 garlic
• 1 green chilly (optional, for spicy kick)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp olive oil (plus more if needed)
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

• Slice the paneer into quarter inch thick square patties. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in a pan, cook the paneer slices on medium flame until both sides are cooked and slightly browned (as shown in the picture). Keep aside.
• Into the same pan, cook onion rings for up to 2 minutes on both sides until slightly cooked. Do not overdo as it should maintain its shape.
• To prepare the cilantro sesame sauce, grind all the ingredients listed under sauce and check the salt to your preference.
• Turn on your toaster / panini maker to pre-heat, or if using a pan; heat it on a medium flame.
• Apply ghee on the outer sides of two bread slices and apply green sauce on inside. Arrange the paneer slices and onion rings between the slices to prepare your sandwich. Toast or heat the sandwich until golden on both sides.
• Slice the sandwich diagonally in half, serve warm with a side of tomato sauce and the remaining green sauce. Enjoy!

The post Paneer Sandwich with Cilantro Sesame Sauce appeared first on Pepper Delight.

So, I guess you might be wondering what’s so special about this Kurma? Well, all I can say is… just taste it and you will understand, it’s soooo yummy, the Best! It’s creamy, rich and flavorful… I bet you cannot ask for anything more from a Kurma!!!

Kurma is a popular South Indian side dish served along with Poori (fried flat bread), Chapati, and other mains during any meal of the day, although quite favored for breakfast and dinner. It’s a yellow colored, non-spicy dish, light on masala, yet creamy and totally delightful. You might have noticed that I highlighted this recipe as a South Indian classic, coz it is quite different in preparation from its North Indian variant – Korma. The North Indian Korma on the other side is more of an orange-red colored dish, high on masala flavors, rich, and elegant.

This recipe is inspired from the preparation by a chef at my hometown, whom we used to invite to cook and lend a helping hand to our family while organizing parties and large family gatherings. I distinctly remember how good our whole house used to smell, we peeping into the kitchen to get a glimpse of the dishes being prepared, and if possible a spoonful to taste. The green paste in this recipe is the star of the dish; it brings together the flavors and the unique aroma. The use of grated coconut along with cashews contribute to the kurma’s rich creaminess and fennel, ginger n garlic towards the beautiful aroma. While you try this recipe at home, do stop and take a second to smell the green paste before pouring it to the cooking pan; Awaken your Sensory Glands to the wonders of the Spices! This dish also has got a light tanginess from the Yogurt and can be substituted with tomatoes if you prefer so.

Vegetable Kurma is a simple and delicious curry which goes well with roti, naan, chapati, appam, idiyappam and many other main dishes, but for me it goes best with Poori. The creaminess of the Kurma vs the crispy-crunchy fried Poori… its Pure Bliss!!!

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Vegetable Kurma

Aromatic and Creamy South Indian Style Mixed Vegetable Kurma…!! This mildly spiced curry is the Best Side Dish you can ask for with Poori / Appam / Naan.  

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword kurma, vegetable curry

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the green paste

• ⅓ cup grated coconut
• 6-8 cashews
• ½ inch sized ginger
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1-2 green chilies
• 3 pearl onions
• ½ tsp perumjeerakam / saunf / fennel seeds
• ¼ tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 3-4 curry leaves
• 1 tbsp cilantro leaves
• ¼ cup water (or more)

For the Kurma

• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 cloves
• 2 cardamoms
• 1 medium sized onion (sliced)
• 2 medium carrots (cubed)
• ¾ cup green beans (chopped)
• 1 potato (cubed)
• ¾ cup cauliflower florets
• ½ cup frozen green peas
• 2 cups water
• 1-2 tbsp beaten curd
• Cilantro leaves (garnish)
• Oil (as required)
• Salt (as required)

Instructions

• Make a fine paste of the ingredients listed above and keep aside.
• Heat little oil in a heavy bottomed pan and sauté spices in it until they are fragrant.
• Add onions and a pinch of salt, sauté for another 3-4 minutes on medium flame.
• Add the chopped veggies, water (just enough to cover the veggies), salt and cook until the vegetables are fully cooked. Mash the cooked veggies with the back of wooden spoon.
• Add the grinded paste (add a little water if the curry is too thick) and cook on low flame for 5 minutes. The kurma consistency should be thick.
• Add beaten curd and mix well, check for the seasoning and cook for 1-2 minutes more. Switch off the flame and garnish with chopped cilantro leaves.
• Enjoy with Poori, Appam, Idiyappam, Roti or Naan.

Notes

1. You can substitute curd with tomato, but curd tastes best for this kurma.

The post Vegetable Kurma appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Are you a kale lover?

Well, I wasn’t until a year ago when I made this Kale Smoothie with Mango & Banana recipe, a Healthy Green Drink! From then on, I’ve lost my inhibition to this leafy vegetable and started exploring various dishes made with it across restaurants; be it in salads, soups, and so on. Slowly my taste buds started liking it and considering the endless goodness of Kale and its health benefits, I’ve decided to incorporate it in our daily diet focusing on staple foods like dal curry/lentil curry which is an integral part of Indian cuisine.

After quite some experimentation and trial-n-error with Kale, I finally have my perfect recipe by combining it with split pigeon peas (toor dal / tuvara parippu) and zucchini. This recipe is quite similar to Spinach lentil curry in its preparation, but it does taste different. Usually, grated coconut is not common in dal curries but I’ve added it to mine…Well, my Kerala roots are to blame for that I guess, right?

Dal to us all Indians is a Comfort Meal Heaven! You would be astonished by the countless number of dal recipes in every State in India! In fact, just a bowl of dal with hot steamed rice/roti is enough to bring a smile on any Indian’s face, and the perfect meal to satisfy your cravings on a chilly rainy day! This Kale and Zucchini dal recipe is a great way of adding greens and plant-based proteins to your diet. It’s easy, flavorful, power packed with all the goodness, and an insanely satisfying comfort meal.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Kale and Zucchini Dal/Lentil Curry

Hearty, Vegan and Healthy - Kale and Zucchini Dal… made with Yellow Lentils and Coconut! The Perfect Comfort Food Heaven…!!  

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword dal, indian, kale dal

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 cup split pigeon peas / toor dal / tuvara parippu
• 3 strands of kale (almost 2 cups; stem removed, chopped)
• 1 zucchini (skin removed, cubed)
• 2 to matoes (chopped)
• ½ cup grated coconut
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 green chilly
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1 tbsp oil
• Water (as required)
• Salt (as required)

Instructions

• Pressure cook dal/lentils with water (just enough to cover the dal) and a little salt, for 3 whistles. Keep aside.
• Grind grated coconut along with garlic, green chilly, cumin seeds and turmeric, to a smooth paste.
• Add the chopped kale and zucchini along with the grinded coconut mixture into the pressure cooker and cook on a medium flame. Add ½ cup water if the dal/lentil mixture is too thick.
• In a separate pan, add oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add dry red chilies and chopped tomatoes, sauté on a medium flame until it becomes mushy. Add this to the boiling dal mix in the cooker.
• Reduce the heat of the cooker to a low and allow it to cook for another 5-10 minutes or until it starts turning thick. Check for the seasoning.
• Serve warm with hot steamed rice/roti/naan. Enjoy.

The post Kale and Zucchini Dal/Lentil Curry appeared first on Pepper Delight.

One of the newest additions to my Favorite Recipes collection – Quinoa Fried Rice, has become my latest crush! A total fuss free recipe with fewer ingredients, a zillion health benefits, and takes hardly 15 minutes to cook.

So, why Quinoa? Quinoa is high in protein, fiber, and minerals, and also a healthy substitute for rice. It fits perfectly with the Eat Healthy mantra of the modern world which although is dominated by salads, but quinoa makes a great low-calorie replacement to regular rice recipes.

Now, why Fried Rice? Well, to me it is the best possible way to clear your leftover veggies at home, but this time not along with rice, instead quinoa. Or if you are a parent worrying on how to make your kids eat veggies, this is your answer; it’s colorful, tasty, and of course loaded with all the good stuffs! Also, your customizing options are ample; add or replace with tofu, paneer, eggs, chicken or meat, as you like. I am sure you’re gonna love this dish if you are a fan of Chinese takeout dinner nights, like me.

There is no big list of sauces to this recipe, just two; Soya sauce and Chili Garlic sauce. I love using chili garlic sauce in my Asian inspired dishes, especially in stir fry and fried rice recipes.  You can substitute it with sriracha sauce, but I highly recommend Chili garlic sauce. Trust me… it tastes so damn good.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Quinoa Fried Rice with Grilled Pineapple

Healthy n Nutritious Quinoa Fried Rice loaded with Veggies and Grilled Pineapple… A Perfect Rice substitute, Tastes way better than your regular Takeouts…!! 

Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese

Keyword fried rice, quinoa, quinoa fried rice

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa (cooked and cooled)
• 2 garlic (minced)
• ½ of an onion (chopped)
• ½ cup green beans (chopped)
• 1 carrot (chopped)
• ¼ cup edamame / green peas
• 2 tbsp soya sauce / tamari
• 2-3 tsp chili garlic sauce / sriracha sauce
• 3 pineapple rings
• Salt and pepper (as required)
• 1 tbsp oil (olive / sesame / vegetable oil)
• ¼ cup green onions (chopped, garnish)

Instructions

• Cook quinoa according to package directions.

  OR

  Rinse the quinoa and drain. Combine quinoa with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. When it starts boiling, reduce the heat to a low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes until the water is absorbed and germ has spiraled out.
• Heat oil in a pan on medium heat, sauté garlic until its fragrant. Add the chopped veggies (except edamame/green peas) and cook until the vegetables turn tender. Season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile on a grill pan, cook pineapple rings on medium heat, 5 minutes on each side, until they become slightly caramelized / tender. You can brush with a little oil / butter if desired. Remove from the pan and slice the rings into bite size pieces.
• Add cooked quinoa, edamame, soya sauce and chili garlic sauce, into the pan with cooked vegetables. Toss for 3-4 minutes to combine well. Add chopped pineapple slices, mix well and garnish with green onions.

Notes

1. You can use your choice of vegetables like bell pepper, snow peas, zucchini, broccoli, mushrooms, or corn, and also include eggs and any protein as desired.

2. Chili garlic sauce works best for this recipe, but you can substitute it with sriracha sauce.

3. This same recipe can be used to make fried rice with your choice of cooked and cooled brown/white rice.

4. You can refrigerate the prepared dish in an air tight container for up to 4-5 days.

The post Quinoa Fried Rice with Grilled Pineapple appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Kootu Curry is a traditional side dish served mostly for festivals & celebrations in Kerala, like Onam, Vishu, and marriages. Along with the endless curries served in a Sadya (traditional vegetarian feast of Kerala), Kootu Curry makes its presence unique by being the only curry which uses roasted coconut as a topping. The word kootu means ‘a mix or combination’, and the recipe is a mix of different vegetables and chickpeas simmered in a coconut cumin gravy, and later topped with browned/fried coconut.

The vegetables used for this dish differ from place to place in Kerala. It’s most common ingredients are Chena (yam), Kaya (raw plantain) and black/white chickpeas, but variants like Pumpkin and Ash gourd are also popular.

I must confess that this recipe is a coconut overload in various forms, be it fresh, oil, or fried. Its major highlight is the addition of fried coconut with curry leaves and dry red chilies, which adds a nice aroma and flavor to the dish. Kootu Curry is a non-spicy, lightly sweet, and a completely satisfying side dish; it pairs wonderfully with steamed rice and daal/lentil curry.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Kootu Curry/Kerala Style Plantain and Yam Curry

Kerala Style Kootu Curry… made with Yam, Plantain and Black Chickpeas – A Sadya Delicacy…! 

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword kerala sadya, kootu curry

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 cup kadala / black chickpeas
• 1½ cup water + more
• 1 medium sized raw plantain (cut into cubes)
• 1 cup yam (cubed)
• 1 tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ cup + ½ cup grated coconut
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp pepper powder
• 1 tbsp jaggery
• 2 sprigs of curry leaves
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• Coconut oil (as required)
• Salt (as required)

Instructions

• Soak black chickpeas overnight. Pressure cook it with water and a pinch of salt for 3 whistles. Once cooled, drain the water and keep aside. Also set aside the cooked black chickpeas separately.
• Grind ½ cup grated coconut with cumin seeds to a coarse paste, keep aside.
• In a separate pan, add the above drained water, vegetables, turmeric powder, chili powder, & salt, and cook on a medium flame. Once it starts boiling, simmer it and cook until the veggies are soft, properly cooked, until the water dries out. Add more water if necessary.
• Lightly mash the cooked vegetables with the back of a wooden spoon. Add the cooked black chickpeas and the grinded coconut paste, mix well and continue cooking till the raw coconut smell subsides.
• Now add pepper powder and jaggery to the pan, mix well and check for the seasoning. Place the lid, cook for another 2-3 minutes, and then switch off the flame.
• To prepare the tempering / garnish, heat oil in a separate pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add curry leaves, dry red chilies and grated coconut. Roast the coconut until they turn golden brown.
• Pour this over the cooked chickpea veggies, mix well. Your Kootu Curry is ready, serve with rice and daal curry!

Notes

1. Pumpkin and Ash gourd can also be added as alternate vegetables while making Kootu Curry.

2. Using jaggery in this dish is completely optional as it’s specific to certain places in Kerala.

3. Coconut oil is ideal for all authentic Kerala recipes.

The post Kootu Curry appeared first on Pepper Delight.

This dish comes from one of the most beautiful places in India… Kashmir! It is the coldest place in India; neighbors to the Greater Himalayas, land of snowcapped mountains, lakes and green forests. The unexplainable natural beauty of Kashmir gifted the land with the beautiful title, “Paradise on Earth”.  Kashmir is not only famous for its beauty, but for its food too. The cusine is known for its non-vegetarian dishes, recipes with lots of dry fruits, rich in spices, especially their saffron flavored dishes.

The Kashmiri Pulao which is one among the most popular Indian dishes, is a saffron flavored rice with spices, mix of dry fruits, and fresh fruits like apples, pineapples and pomegranate. The dish is quite similar to Modur Pulao /Kashmiri Sweet Pulao with the only difference being the omission of sugar from its recipe while cooking the rice.

The traditional preparation of this pulao is with dry fruits and nuts, but you can also add your choice of vegetables like carrots, beans, peas or toasted paneer, along with fresh fruits; which is my favorite part. It’s a mildly sweet dish, so pairing it with a spicy curry makes it a wonderful combo.

This recipe also works wonderfully for your meal prep days. A note though, add fresh fruits to your dish only before serving!

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Kashmiri Pulao

Fragrant & Rich Kashmiri Pulao loaded with Spices, Dry Fruits n Fresh Fruits…A Feast to your Eyes and a Treat to your Taste Buds…!  

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword kashmiri pulao, pulao, pulav

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 cup basmati rice
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup milk + 2 tbsp
• A pinch of Saffron
• 1 onion (finely chopped)
• 1 tbsp ghee / butter / oil
• Salt (as required)

Spices

• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 cardamom pods
• 1 star anise
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cloves

Garnishes

• 6-8 cashews
• 4-6 almonds
• 8-10 raisins
• ⅓ cup pomegranate seeds
• ¼ cup pineapple chopped
• Cilantro leaves chopped

Instructions

• Wash the rice and then soak for 20 minutes. Drain thoroughly thereafter and keep aside.
• Soak the saffron in 2 tbsp of warm milk, keep aside.
• To prepare the garnish, heat ghee in a pan and fry the cashews, almonds and raisins until golden. Keep aside.
• Into the same pan, fry the sliced onions until it turns brown. Keep aside.
• In a separate pot/pan suitable for cooking rice, add ghee and sauté the cardamom, cinnamon, clove, star anise and bay leaf on a medium flame, until they become fragrant.
• Add the drained rice, salt, water, milk and saffron soaked milk. Close the lid and allow it to boil. Once it boils, reduce the flame to low, cook for 10-12 minutes till the water is completely absorbed. Turn off the flame, fluff the cooked rice using a fork and keep aside to cool.
• Once the rice cools down to a warm, add the fried onions, nuts, raisins, chopped pineapple and pomegranate seeds, toss to mix completely. Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves.
• Serve with spicy curries.

Notes

1. You can also add walnuts, pistachios, toasted paneer/tofu, chopped apples, tutti fruit, cranberries or veggies like carrot, beans and peas.

2. Do not add the fruits while the rice is hot, allow it to cool to a warm.

3. If you are adding apples, ensure you add them only before serving, otherwise they would turn brown and the pulao become less appealing.

The post Kashmiri Pulao appeared first on Pepper Delight.

I am a Huge Fan of Wraps and Tacos! I guess that would be obvious with my Indian roots and my love for the flavours of Rotis, Chapatis n breads. My previous post was all about Hummus, I also did talk about my upcoming recipe, and the variety foods you could make by incorporating hummus. There are a thousand reasons to love it, but if I am to list out my top picks, then this recipe which is my newest obsession would be flying high among them all. It’s a fusion of Mediterranean and Indian flavours; creamy hummus and a crunchy garam masala flavored roasted chickpeas, a match made in heaven!!

These are incredibly easy to make and works perfect as a meal prep recipe too. It’s a protein packed filling meal, and to all the non-veg lovers out there… you wouldn’t even believe this dish is vegetarian, it’s soo good! The wraps can be rolled and sliced into half as pinwheels which you can serve at parties & picnics or even pack into kids lunch boxes.

Substitute/Add chicken or meat with the chickpeas, n there’s another great combo. For the hummus, you can buy it readily from the stores or else DIY with my creamy hummus recipe here, which is what I love to do always as I can serve it many ways; as a dip, wrap or platter.

I have prepared this hummus wrap dish on many occasions over the last few months, and each time it turned out to be a super hit, equally loved by veg & non-vegetarians. This recipe might doubtfully look to be a chickpea overload, but why not? After all it’s healthy and vegetarian right? So go ahead, give these wraps a try and if you have any new combinations, let me know in the comment section below.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!!!

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Roasted Chickpeas Hummus Wrap

Crunchy Garam Masala Flavored Chickpeas, Hummus & a Veggie Salad… wrapped in a Pita… Healthy, Delicious n a Protein packed Power Meal…!

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword hummus wrap, roasted chickpeas, roll

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry chickpeas
• 2 cups water
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp black pepper
• Salt (as required)
• Hummus
• 1 cucumber
• 1 tomato
• 1 red onion
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• Cilantro leaves (garnish)
• Pita bread

Instructions

• Soak chickpeas overnight to rehydrate and increase its volume. Drain and rinse well before cooking.
• Pressure cook the washed chickpeas with a pinch of salt and water, for 3 whistles. Take the cooker off the flame, and allow it to rest till the pressure subsides. Take of the lid and reserve some of the cooked liquid, drain the rest.
• Preheat oven to 400 degree F. Arrange the chickpeas on a baking sheet. Toss in olive oil, garam masala, pepper and a generous amount of salt to coat the chickpeas well.
• Roast for 40-45 minutes until they crisp up, stir half way through the cooking.
• Chop veggies and mix with lemon juice and salt. Keep aside.
• Warm pita breads in a pan or microwave/oven to make them soft.
• Spread hummus, top with roasted chickpeas and veggies. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro leaves. Roll into a wrap and enjoy!

Notes

1. Substitute pita bread with tortilla / naan / breads of your choice, and veggies with your favorites.
2. For non-vegetarians, chicken or meat can be added as toppings and make a great combo.

The post Roasted Chickpeas Hummus Wrap appeared first on Pepper Delight.

The most Popular & Healthiest Middle Eastern Dip – Yes… We are talking about Hummus today! Made with chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil, this is one of the most adapted recipes with tons  n tons of variations – From the Classic to Spicy versions, vegetable based ones like Baba Ganoush, Avocado / Roasted Red Pepper / Beetroot Hummus… the list just goes on and on, and they all have one thing in common, Yummiliciuos!! I am a Huge Fan of Hummus; I can eat it daily… I love it as a dip, or even as a spread on my favorite Crunchy Garam Masala flavored Chickpeas Wrap.

The health benefits of hummus are enormous. The core ingredient, Chickpeas / Garbanzo beans is a vegan source of iron, high in fiber content, and an excellent source of protein. It also helps to lower cholesterol and in weight management. Hummus can be served as a dip along with crackers, spread on a pita, or even to make sandwiches…the options are endless. I would suggest using dry chickpeas rather than store bought canned ones, coz canned chickpeas are high in sodium.

So, how can you make your hummus Creamier?  The secret is, to peel the skin off the cooked chickpeas. Blending chickpeas with its skin on results in a grainy textured hummus, whereas take the skin off and you get an ultra-smooth and creamy dreamy Hummus!  I know it sounds like a lot of work; peeling the chickpeas one by one, and it does test your patience… but it’s definitely worth the effort.

And during this holiday season, give your party a twist by creating a Hummus platter! Its pretty easy, colorful, vegetarian, and gluten free too (just go for GF crackers). Stack up your favorites, let your creativity flow, and impress your guests (Check out my Notes below for platter ideas)!

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!!!

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Hummus Platter

An Ultimate Hummus Platter for your Holiday Celebrations... with Pita, Veggies, Pickles & Feta Cheese…! Plus, The Secret to make the World’s Best Creamiest Hummus… Let’s Party…!!  

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword appetizer, hummus, hummus platter

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry chickpeas
• 2 cups water
• 2 garlic cloves (roughly chopped)
• 6 tbsp tahini sauce
• 1 lemon squeezed (plus more if needed)
• 6 tbsp olive oil (plus more)
• 6-8 tbsp reserved liquid (or water)
• Salt and pepper
• Paprika / pepper (a pinch to garnish)
• Platter ingredients: carrot, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, pickled olives, crackers, pita.

Instructions

• Soak chickpeas overnight to rehydrate and increase its volume. Drain and rinse well before cooking.
• Pressure cook the washed chickpeas with a pinch of salt and water, for 3 whistles. Take the cooker off the flame, and allow it to rest till the pressure subsides. Take of the lid and reserve some of the cooked liquid, drain the rest.
• Remove the skin of the cooked chickpeas (Optional, preferred for a creamier consistency).
• Combine chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, reserved liquid, salt and pepper in a food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy.
• Sprinkle paprika or pepper and serve with a drizzle of olive oil.

Notes

1. For the platter, you can arrange all your ingredients on a large tray, plate, cutting board or baking pan.

2. Be creative in choosing your veggies, fruits, nuts, and dry fruits.

3. Include breads, pitas, chips, crackers, or wedges.

4. Feta cheese is optional, but complements well with the contents.

5. Either go for pickled or marinated olives / artichokes / sundried tomatoes.

6. To make your tray look attractive, fill it as much as possible by tightly arranging the ingredients without leaving any gaps.

7. You can substitute dry chickpeas with canned ones for ease.

8. Add more lemon juice to your hummus while blending if you prefer a tangy flavour.

9. You can also add more of the reserved liquid from the cooked chickpeas while blending, to suit your desired consistency.

The post Hummus Platter appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Roasted potatoes are my go-to dish for a quick prep appetizer, and I love them when planning parties. Be it a Baked Wedges recipe or a simple buttery dish like these colorful mini potatoes, they are always a favorite. Add a sauce dip, and everyone is going to love it!

So, the bunch of baby potatoes I have used in this recipe comes all the way from Soulard Farmer’s Market, one of the oldest farmers market in the US, located near downtown St. Louis. Everybody loves visiting Farmers Market, and so do I! But a visit to Soulard Market is a unique experience on its own; the layout, open stalls, wide variety of produce, and the eateres, reminds me of my hometown markets and brings back childhood memories. You get fresh meat, fruits vegetables, cheese and breads, even livestock! Not only are they cheap, but best in quality too. And same goes with the potatoes I bought, fresh & earthy!

Coming back to my dish of the day, if you are looking for an easy and minimal ingredient appetizer, then this is for you. All that you need are regular pantry ingredients. And if you don’t have Italian seasoning at home, you can skip it, trust me… the dish still tastes wonderful!  Its buttery soft on the inside with a crispy skin outside, just how perfectly anyone would love their appetizer to be!

The combination of a great sauce adds depth and volume to your dish; Tahini and Yogurt with Mint leaves gives the sauce a nice freshness and aroma which blends perfectly with the roasted potatoes.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!!!

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Roasted Baby Potatoes with Mint Tahini Sauce

Crispy on the Outside, Buttery Soft Inside… Roasted Baby Potatoes…!! A 5 Ingredient Recipe; Simple, Delicious & Appetizing, a Definite Crowd Puller…! 

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword appetizer, mint tahini, roasted potatoes

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For Roasted Baby Potatoes

• 1 lb baby potatoes (halved, skin on)
• 2 garlic cloves (crushed)
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and Pepper
• Parsley (garnish)

For Mint Tahini Sauce

• 16 -18 mint leaves
• 1 tbsp tahini sauce
• 4 tbsp yogurt
• ½ of lemon juice
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

For Roasted Baby Potatoes

• Preheat oven to 400 degree F. Grease your baking pan with cooking spray.
• Wash the baby potatoes thoroughly under running water, scrub of dirt if any and pat dry with a kitchen towel.
• Toss the potatoes with olive oil, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
• Arrange the potatoes in the prepared baking tray. Slice butter into small cubes and sprinkle between potatoes.
• Bake for 25- 30 minutes until they are crispy golden. Stir the potatoes halfway through the cooking process.
• Remove from the oven and garnish with freshly chopped parsley leaves. Serve hot.

For Mint Tahini Sauce

• Blend all the ingredients in a blender until smooth. Adjust seasoning according to your taste.

The post Roasted Baby Potatoes with Mint Tahini Sauce appeared first on Pepper Delight.

*** Recipe updated on 9/5/2021 with new pictures ***

It’s Pretty outside! Beautiful Fall colors everywhere… Red, Orange, and Yellow; Leaves on the roads, gardens, and some still hanging onto their trees… on their last lap of their journey. It has also started to get cold with the temperature dipping in the evenings. This is my favorite time of the year; relieved that I am through with the peak summers and still weeks away from the harsh winters. The winds and the sudden chills are a bit of a surprise as I’m still in the summer hangover, so something warm and cozy is what I need now. And I can’t ask for anything better than a bowl of hot soup to prep me for this weather. Nothing fancy, just a bowl of classic tomato soup, enough to fill your cravings and warm up you spirits! It’s Rich, Creamy and Tangy, and the freshness of the basil gives it a wonderful balance of flavor!!

Talking about the soups I grew up having, tomato soup was one of the most common versions available everywhere, and then the famous “spicy hot and sour soup” served along with Chinese dishes at restaurants. None of them were creamy, infact I do not remember eating any creamy ones until I moved to the US.  Once I started travelling and exploring, I got to know the many different creamy soups ranging from veg to non-veg versions. The taste initially was quite different for my palate, but over the time I started loving it.

This soup is a no brainer recipe and the key to its preparation is the tomatoes. The riper the tomatoes, the better the soup. Make sure you roast them to perfection, until they are soft and slightly charred, this adds up to the flavour. Ensure not to burn them. You can also use canned – fire roasted tomatoes if you cannot find fresh ripe ones. Puree the tomatoes, saute with garlic, add stock, and simmer. Top with herbs n cream, and your soup is ready!

Enjoy this bowl of delicious hot soup with croutons or grilled cheese sandwiches. Serve them as appetizers for your party or as lunch or dinner.

Interested in other soup recipes? Check these out:

1. Roasted Butternut Squash Soup 
2. Chicken Cilantro Detox Soup
3. Creamy Mushroom Soup
4. Chicken Ramen Noodle Soup

Happy Cooking!!!

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Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup

Cozy, Hearty n Satisfying… a Creamy Roasted Tomato Basil Soup…! Perfect to Welcome Fall & the chilly days ahead…

Course Appetizer, Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword roasted tomato, soup, tomato soup

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 6-7 large ripe tomatoes
• 1 onion (roughly chopped)
• 6 garlic cloves (minced)
• 4 cups (32oz. ) low sodium vegetable stock
• 4 tbsp milk cream
• Olive oil (as required)
• 1 tsp oregano
• Salt and Pepper (as required)
• Fresh basil (garnish)
• Croutons (toppings)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425 degree F.
• Cut the tomatoes into half and spread tomatoes and onion onto a baking pan. Drizzle olive oil generously and season with salt and pepper.
• Place the pan in the oven and bake for 30- 35 minutes until the tomato slices turn soft and charred on the surface. Remove from the oven and allow it cool for 10 minutes.
• Once cooled, puree it in a high speed blender or an immersion blender. Keep aside.
• Into a large pot, pour a little olive oil and heat on a medium flame. Add minced garlic and saute until it turns fragrant.
• Add the pureed tomatoes, vegetable broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to low, add oregano and simmer for 15-20 minutes uncovered.
• Turn off the flame, add fresh cream and top with fresh basil leaves.
• Your soup is ready, serve hot with a drizzle of olive oil, garnish with more basil and croutons. You can also serve grilled cheese as a side.

The post Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Quinoa was never on my favourite list until recently when a friend of mine prepared this recipe, and that changed my outlook to explore this wonder food. Trust me; it was a complete satisfying meal! And what threw me off was the simplicity of the dish; raw vegetables with no fancy sauces, just a simple lemon juice based dressing and it was Yumm!!

Before I indulge into the recipe, for those of you who do not know about this superfood Quinoa… it is considered as one of the healthiest food in this planet. The nutritional benefits of quinoa are endless; it’s gluten-free, high in protein (a great option for vegetarians), anti-oxidants, iron and magnesium. Quinoa cooks pretty fast than any other grains and is very easy to incorporate into your daily diet. You can add it to your salads, stir fries, and is also a healthy substitute to rice.

I have used all my favorite veggies in this salad bowl recipe. And YES, there is raw beetroot in this dish. Do you like raw beetroot? I prefer it mostly for my smoothies; check out my Beetroot Power Smoothie (its my fav!).  Beetroot is high in fiber, low in fat and high with anti-oxidants, whether it’s cooked or not.  Having raw beetroot in salad is intimidating at times, as many do not like its earthy smell. But pickling beetroot in lemon juice and salt helps to reduce its muddy taste and smell. In this salad you can use beetroot in many different ways, be it finely chopped/grated, cooked, roasted or even pickled.

Be creative, you can customize this recipe with your choice of fruits or vegetables. Adding nuts to your salad bowl provides hearty fats to your body; Almonds, Pistachios, Cashews are low calorie nuts which you can substitute for walnuts. Just keep in mind to use raw ones.

So enjoy this delicious colorful bowl of goodness!!!!

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Quinoa Salad Bowl

A Veggie Quinoa Bowl, loaded with Vegetables in a Zesty Cilantro Lemon Dressing… Simple, Healthy and Satisfying…!! 

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword quinoa, quinoa salad, salad

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 small beetroot
• 1 carrot
• 1 onion
• 1 bell pepper
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 lemon
• 2 tbsp cilantro leaves (chopped)
• Walnuts (topping)
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

• Peel the skin of the vegetables, thoroughly wash and rinse to clean. Chop them into small bite sized pieces.
• Squeeze the lemons and add salt to it to prepare a pickle juice, soak the beetroot and carrots separately (to prevent mixing of color) in it for 4-5 hours.
• Cook quinoa according to package directions. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool for 15 mins. Fluff it with a fork.
• Prepare the dressing by mixing lemon juice, cilantro leaves, salt and pepper in a bowl. Whisk until smooth.
• Mix cooked quinoa with vegetables, pour the dressing, and toss to mix together. Let it stand for 30 mins.
• Top with walnuts and serve in a bowl.

Notes

1. Make sure you buy fresh beetroots and wash them thoroughly under cold water.
2. You can use beetroot in many different ways for this recipe; finely chopped, grated, cooked, roasted, or even pickled.
3. Substitute walnuts with low calorie nuts such as almonds, cashews or pistachios.

The post Quinoa Salad Bowl appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Prep time: 15 mins; Baking time: 1 hour Serves: 6-8

INGREDIENTS

• 1 medium sized beetroot
• 3/4 cup dry chickpeas / garbanzo beans
• 3 garlic cloves
• juice of one lemon
• 2 tbsp tahini sauce
• ¼ cup olive oil + more 
• salt
• 3 cup water
• fresh parsley (garnish)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Soak chickpeas overnight. This helps it to rehydrate and increase in volume. Drain it and rinse well before cooking.
2. Pressure cook the washed chickpeas with a pinch of salt and water, for 3 whistles. Take the cooker off the flame, and allow it to rest till the pressure goes off. Drain it.
3. In the meantime, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Loosely wrap and cover beetroots in aluminum foil and place on a baking tray.
4. Roast for 1 hour or more, until it becomes soft. Allow it to cool, and then peel off the skin and chop into big chunks.
5. In a food processor, add the cooked and cooled chickpeas, beetroot chunks, garlic, lemon juice, tahini sauce and salt.
6. Add olive oil as needed and process until it becomes a smooth puree.
7. Garnish with fresh parsley leaves and olive oil.

Note:

1. Store bought Tahini sauce will be very thick with the oil separated on the top. Stir well before using it.
2. You can find Tahini sauce in any World market, or in the kosher aisle of your supermarket.

The post Beetroot Hummus appeared first on Pepper Delight.

I love pumpkin and the dishes made with it, to which I was brought up in my hometown. But all of them had been savoury! It was after moving to the US that I realized how popular pumpkin is here, in fact way popular than in India. It is a key element to the Halloween celebrations and has a variety of dishes that too for the sweet tooth. I keep getting surprised even nowadays seeing the different sweet pumpkin dishes & desserts … pumpkin pies, tarts, smoothies, pancakes, soups, cakes… is there anything more you can ask for?

So coming back to the savoury side of pumpkin, Erissery is one of the most popular side dishes of Kerala, India; served mainly for our biggest & our traditional feast; Sadya. The preparation and the ingredients used vary in different parts of the state, with pumpkin sometimes being replaced with yam, banana, or butternut squash.

Pumpkin when combined with legumes makes a very healthy diet. Red cowpeas also known as Lobhia or Vanpayar, are an excellent source of protein and this legume has different variations, like the black, brown, and white creamy peas.

Tadka, or tempering of spices in oil, is one of the key steps in this recipe’s preparation, where both fresh and roasted coconut is used; fresh for the base in a grinded paste form, and the roasted as a garnish along with spices. The beautiful aroma from the roasting of coconut itself makes your mouth watering, pair this dish with steamed rice and enjoy…!

Happy Cooking..!!!

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Prep time: 40-45 mins
Serves: 4 – 5 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup pumpkin (sliced)
• ¾ cup red cowpeas / vanpayar
• ½ + ½ cup coconut (grated)
• 2 garlic cloves
• ¼ teaspoon cumin / jeera
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 green chilies
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 2 dry red chilies
• 2 pearl onions (chopped)
• mustard seeds (a pinch)
• salt (as required)
• oil (as required)
• 2 cups water (for pressure cooking)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Soak red cowpeas overnight OR Pressure cook red cowpeas with a little salt and 2 cups of water, on a medium flame for up to 3 whistles. Take the cooker off the flame, and allow it to rest till the pressure goes off.
2. Drain the cowpeas.
3. Clean the pumpkin by peeling off its skin and removing its seeds. Slice it into small pieces.
4. Add a little water to a pan and cook the pumpkin slices with salt and a pinch of turmeric powder, until it turns mushy. Mash well with a wooden spoon.
5. In the meantime, make a paste of coconut, cumin, green chilies, garlic and turmeric powder.
6. Turn down the heat of the pan to low and add the cooked cowpeas and coconut paste, mix well.
7. Adjust the salt and boil the curry until it thickens. Turn off the flame.
8. In another pan, heat some oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add curry leaves, dry red chilies and pearl onions. Saute for a minute on a low flame, and add the other half of the grated coconut.
9. Roast the coconut by stirring frequently till it brownish and aromatic.
10. Garnish the pumpkin curry with the roasted coconut paste.

Serve warm with steamed rice.

Interested in more Pumpkin recipes, check this out:

Pumpkin with Yogurt (Mathanga Pachadi)

Interested in more side dish recipes with Red cowpeas, check this out:

Broccoli with Red Cowpeas

The post Pumpkin with Red Cowpeas / Mathanga Erissery appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Halloween is around the corner; Trick-or-Treating, Ghost Stories, Costume Parties, Pumpkin Recipes, and many more… a fun time for families and kids..! And when it comes to food, your options for the sweet tooth are endless… Kids love Halloween, the time of the year where they run around collecting sweets, stocking them, and bragging about their collection. They would go bonkers for lollipops, and if it’s a spooky treat? Ho Ho, You’ve just made their day…!

This is my first Halloween since I’ve started my blog and every year I have been quite intrigued with the spooky edible food decorations, in all shapes & colors throughout the stores. I love to watch all the Halloween creativity, isle after isle, and be mesmerized. So this year I made up my mind to definitely put on the Pepper Delight Witch’s hat and cook up some spooky treats. Woooooooohh……

Cake pops is something I have been eyeing on for a while. In fact my recent baking experience with cheesecake  showed me how wonderfully graham crackers go with cream cheese. I had some leftovers and so it was the perfect timing to use them with something new. I was so tempted to grab all the edible spooky decorations from the store, but decided to stick myself to those cute candy eye balls and spookify them on my lollipops with little blood red gel.

This treat is an attention grabber n sooo easy to make. And the bonus:

• no cooking
• no baking required
• 4 ingredients
• Both kids and adult friendly

The only tricky part for any newcomer is the tempering of the chocolate. You may not get the glazed coating right the first time, and if you didn’t, don’t Worry..! Even I couldn’t, and actually that adds even better to the spookiness..He He..!

Happy Halloween my dear friends, Enjoy…!

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Prep time: 30 -45 mins
Serves: 12 lollipops

INGREDIENTS

• 14 graham crackers
• 8 oz. cream cheese (softened at room temperature)
• 4 tbsp powdered sugar
• 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate morsels (chips)
• Lollipop sticks
• Candy eye balls
• Edible decor (red color decorating gel)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Grind graham crackers in a food processor until finely powdered.
3. Transfer it to a bowl and add the cream cheese. Using a mixer or with your clean hands, blend it well until properly mixed into a dough.
4. Divide the dough into ice-cream scoop size portions and roll them into equal sized small round balls.
5. Place them on the baking sheet, and refrigerate for 10 mins to harder a bit.
6. Take the tray out and insert the lollipop sticks half way through each ball, and place back in the refrigerator for another 15 mins to set.
7. Melt the chocolate chips in a deep microwave safe bowl by microwaving at 30 second intervals and whisking alternatively until completely melted, loose and runny.
8. Dip each ball in the liquid chocolate to give it an even coat. Tap the stick of the pops on the edge of the bowl to allow any excess liquid to drip off. Allow it to stand by fixing it on a lollipop stand or a Styrofoam block.
9. Attach the candy eye balls to the pops and pipe some red color gel on top of it, Or use your favourite Halloween icing decorations to create your spooky lollipops.
10. Refrigerate for about 10 minutes to set completely.

Note:

1. Ensure that the dough is thick enough to stay intact and not fall apart.
2. Roll the dough into small balls so that it would be easy to coat with chocolate, and also will not fall apart from the sticks due to its weight.

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Puff pastry is a very common snack in my hometown with the only difference being that it would be store bought as we hardly bake it at home. Well, surprisingly Yes… and it’s because a conventional oven was not common at homes during my good old childhood days, until recently. Unlike in the US where there are a variety of sweet and savoury puff pastries, we are so used to the savoury ones; be it a vegetable masala, egg, chicken or a meat puffs. In fact, if we have guests visiting for tea or a party at home, curry puffs would be first dish we would be running out for to our nearby bakery. To my memory, puffs held the royal first place as my favourite “Snack / Appetizer” until recently where the dominance of samosas and cutlet started to creep in…!

Curry puffs aka the Indian version of the vegetable puffs, is made of a light stuffing of veggies like potato, green peas, carrots or beets, in a spicy masala. Here I have tried to give my western touch to the classic curry puffs, making it non-spicy with mushrooms and broccoli combined in a creamy white sauce. The preparation is soo easy and similar to any other puff pastry; rolled and toasted until golden and flaky. The melted cheese inside makes each bite ooey, gooey, and seriously addictive.

 If you are a fan of Puff Pastry, I am sure you gonna love this combination of mushrooms and broccoli. Serve these wonderful puffs as an appetizer for your parties or as a snack for your tea time.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!!!

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Prep time: 20 mins; Baking time: 18 – 20 mins
Serves: makes 12 nos

INGREDIENTS

For white sauce

• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 tbsp butter
• salt (a pinch)
• ¾ cup milk

For puffs

• 8 oz. mushrooms (chopped )
• 1 cup broccoli florets (chopped)
• 3 garlic cloves (finely minced)
• 2 tbsp butter
• salt (as required)
• pepper (as required)
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• 1 egg (beaten)
• 2 sheets of puff pastry (thawed, cut into 12 squares)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preparation of white sauce

1. Melt butter in a pan, add flour and whisk vigorously.
2. Add milk and whisk on a low heat for 2 minutes till it thickens. Season with salt.
3. Remove from heat as the sauce becomes smooth and creamy.

Preparation of puffs

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Melt butter in a pan, saute garlic until fragrant.
3. Add mushrooms, saute for 3 minutes until they turn tender.
4. Add broccoli to the pan, saute on a medium flame (1-2 mins). Switch off the flame and mix with the prepared white sauce.
5. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil, grease with cooking spray, and keep aside.
6. Carefully open thawed pastry sheets to a clean lightly floured flat surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the sheets to even and smoothen, refer notes section for details.
7. Using a sharp knife or a pizza wheel, cut the pastry sheet into equal square shapes as per your preferred serving size.
8. Add 1 tbsp filling to the center of each square and top with some mozzarella cheese. Carefully fold and seal all four edges and brush generously the sides and top with egg wash. This helps to make the crust look golden.
9. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes until golden.
10. Remove from the oven and allow it cool for a few minutes before serving.

Note:

1. Using mozzarella cheese and white sauce are optional. If you don’t want the creamy cheesy texture, go ahead with the veggie mix alone.
2. While preparing the white sauce, whisk vigorously to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
3. The puff pastry sheets should be kept frozen till ready to use. Once taken out from the freezer, thaw it at room temperature for not more than 40 minutes or until they unfold easily. The sheet should still be cold, and unfolded to a floured flat surface. If it cracks, sprinkle water at the edges and press together to seal. Grease with flour and using a rolling pin, roll and shape to your preferred size and thickness.

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Cooking good food which is delicious and healthy is what always comes to my mind when creating a new recipe. I love making Pasta dishes! They are entirely different from my usual Indian style of cooking, pretty easy and a comfort food that you can cook effortlessly and chill, just right for you weeknight dinner & gatherings.

Since my husband is not a big fan of tomato based pasta, I tend to find alternatives or cook something which is white sauce based. This time I wanted to totally get rid of the sauce and experiment baking. The baked version enhances the pasta to another level; full of flavour, the upper crust turning crispy and brown, juicy and cheesy inside… it’s a total package. On a healthier note, I have used whole wheat pasta for this recipe. You can use any vegetables of your choice; mushrooms are my favourite and I have also used broccoli and bell peppers. Finally layering with Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, it helps to complement the lack of sauce thereby making it juicy and not dry.

The key to this dish’s perfection is the cooking of the pasta and not allowing it to dry. Cook the pasta just to al dente and then mix & bake with the other ingredients for another 30 minutes; of course, you wouldn’t want to serve under or over cooked pasta. Mixing it with red or white sauce (marinara or béchamel ) is also optional to make it gooey and juicy inside.

Now how can you make this recipe even more interesting? You can customize it with your favourite veggies, protein or even mix with sauces of your choice. I’ll try them out soon, but I’m damn sure that you would love all those variations.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking!!!

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Prep time: 30-45 minutes
Serves: 2 – 3 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 8 oz whole wheat pasta (or pasta of your choice)
• 3 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• 1cup broccoli florets
• 1 cup bell peppers (sliced)
• 1 cup mushrooms (sliced)
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese (grated)
• 1 cup parmesan cheese (grated)
• 1 tbsp butter
• Freshly chopped parsley leaves (optional)
• salt as required
• pepper as required
• olive oil as required

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook pasta as per package instructions to al dente. Drain it and toss with olive oil to prevent sticking.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Heat butter in a pan on a medium flame, add chopped garlic and saute for a while until tender and its aroma emanates.
4. Add mushrooms, broccoli, bell peppers, salt and pepper, mix well and close the lid to cook for 5 minutes. Toss the pasta into the pan and stir to combine well.
5. In an iron skillet or any oven safe dish, grease with olive oil. Layer the pasta in batches, adding grated mozzarella and parmesan cheese in-between. Top with extra parmesan cheese and freshly chopped parsley leaves (optional).
6. Bake for 30 minutes until the cheese melts and the upper crust turns lightly crispy & brown. Serve hot.

Interested in more Pasta recipes? Check these out:

Chicken Pasta with White Sauce

Spaghetti with Garlic, Mushroom & Peas

The post Baked Wheat Pasta with Mushrooms, Broccoli and Bell Peppers appeared first on Pepper Delight.

The week started as a really interesting one with so many things happening and me getting totally busy in my “blog world”. I finally got hold of a copy of “Plate to Pixel – Digital Food Photography & Styling” by Helene Dujardin, a book I have been longing to read. If you are serious about food photography, this is the right choice. The simplicity in the writing and the stunning photos are a real inspiration, especially if you are a newbie.

So as I was saying about my week, after a late Friday night at my friends place chit chatting and watching a movie, my Saturday morning turned out to be a slow n sleepy one and all I needed was a “minimal effort lunch”. So I decided, it’s going to be a meatless Saturday with mushrooms as the highlight! Ohh by the way, I love mushrooms and its combination with all sorts of ingredients, like garlic, broccoli, peas or chicken.

And here I have from my collection, one of my few recipes for a comfort food with minimum ingredients. It is super easy to cook and you can vary the ingredients with protein or other veggies per the availability in your pantry.

This time I’ve skipped preparing my white sauce, instead made it simple with only garlic, mushrooms and peas, and topped with some grated parmesan cheese. If you love the creamy texture of the white sauce, you can check out my previous pasta recipe and mix it to this dish. Both taste delicious…!!!

Enjoy…!!

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Spaghetti with Garlic, Mushroom and Peas

A simple no-sauce veggie pasta with Garlic, Mushrooms, Peas and Parmesan Cheese. 

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword pasta, vegeterian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 8 ounces of spaghetti/linguine
• 3 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• 1 cup peas (thawed, I used frozen peas)
• 1 cup mushrooms (8-10 nos)
• parmesan cheese (grated)
• 2 tbsp butter
• salt as required
• pepper (as required)
• olive oil (as required)

Instructions

• Prepare spaghetti as per package instructions to al dente. Drain it and toss with olive oil to prevent sticking.
• Clean and pat dry mushrooms, slice into small pieces.
• Heat butter in a pan on a medium flame, add sliced garlic and saute for a while until tender.
• Add mushrooms and peas, salt and pepper, mix well and close the lid to cook for 5 minutes.
• Toss the noodles into the pan and stir to combine well. Add grated parmesan cheese and garnish with fresh chopped parsley leaves (optional).
• Serve immediately.

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A simple veggie sandwich loaded with mushrooms, avocados, red peppers, spinach and tomatoes, in a delicious combo with a tangy goat cheese!!!

Sometimes all you need is a fresh sandwich which is light to your stomach and keeps you healthy, calm and relaxed, and unwind the rest of your day with some light music.

This sandwich combo is so yummy with the fresh avocados, and vegetables sautéed in olive oil with some crispy bread, makes it light and yummy …

Enjoy…!!!

Prep time        : 10 minutes
Serves             : 1 – 2 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 2 avocados (sliced into cubes)
• 6 mushrooms (sliced)
• ½ of a red pepper (sliced)
• 1 tomato (chopped)
• 1 handful of spinach
• 2 oz goat cheese (softened)
• 6 slices of multigrain bread (lightly toasted)
• butter (as required)
• salt (as required)
• pepper (as required)
• olive oil (as required)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat olive oil in a pan and saute the sliced red peppers, tomato, spinach, and mushrooms for 2 – 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Apply butter on the bread slices and toast lightly.
3. Spread the sautéed vegetables with sliced avocado on one slice and apply goat cheese on the other.
4. Sandwich them and enjoy…!

Note:

Goat cheese taken out straight from your refrigerator can be hard and chunky, making it difficult to spread. You can either leave it for an hour to warm up to the room temperature and soften, or add a spoon of milk to it and mash, making it light and spreadable.

The post Veggie Sandwich with Goat Cheese appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Soya chunks also known as meal maker, is a rich source of protein for both vegetarians, and meat lovers who are looking for a vegetarian alternate. It is a great source of Vitamin B and Omega -3 fatty acids as well.

In my home we never used soya and until recently while I was looking for a vegetarian biriyani recipe for a change, I experimented with soya and made a Soya biriyani, and boy did it turn out good. Everybody loved it and I was so hooked that I never bothered to try something different.

And that’s when my trip to California happened to meet my in-laws, and this dish was prepared by my lovely sis-in-law who is a pure vegetarian, a wonderful cook, and my inspiration for a lot of the vegetarian dishes I’ve posted. The recipe has been adapted from Yummy O Yummy.

There are different ways of cooking with soya chunks. They are usually dry when you buy them from market and you need to reconstitute it with water before cooking, to soften it.  Some prefer to soak in hot water first, drain and rinse again with cold water. For this recipe I soaked it in hot water and then squeezed and drained it out dry.

This is a milder version from the usual spicy recipes and the soya chunks are perfectly roasted with the masala, that you wouldn’t believe this soya roast is a vegetarian dish at first sight… Enjoy..!!!

Interested in other vegetarian side dishes for chapathi? Check these out:

• Soya Ularthiyathu / Shredded Soya Roast
• Vegetable Kurma
• Navratan Korma
• Varutharacha Kadala curry/ Roasted Coconut Chickpeas Curry

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Soya Roast

Healthy and Delicious Soya Roast in a spicy masala flavour. A perfect side dish for roti and a veggie alternative for the meat lovers!!!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword soya, soya roast, vegetarian

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 2 cups soya chunks
• 2 onions (sliced)
• 2 green chilies (slit)
• 1 to mato
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 2½ tbsp chicken masala
• 3 sprigs curry leaves
• 4 tbsp sliced coconut pieces
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• salt (as required)
• oil (as required)

Instructions

• Soak soya chunks in hot water for about 20 minutes, this helps to soften it. Then squeeze out the water and drain in a paper towel, and keep aside.
• Roast soya chunks by heating oil in a pan on a medium flame and cooking with chicken masala powder (2 tbsp) and salt. Place the lid on and cook for few seconds.
• Roast well till it turns brown and then transfer to a paper towel to drain the excess oil.
• In the same pan, add a little more oil, splutter mustard seeds and add curry leaves.
• Saute onions until they become soft. Add ginger garlic paste and saute till its raw smell subsides, followed by adding chopped tomato, and saute till it turns mushy and cooked.
• Add spice powders; turmeric powder, chili powder, coriander powder, chicken masala and saute on low flame for one minute.
• Add soya chunks, coconut slices and mix well with the masala, close the lid and cook on a low flame for 4-5 minutes. Stir periodically to mix the chunks well with the masala.
• Serve warm with rice or chapathi.

Notes

Chicken masala is the pure blend of coriander, turmeric, chili, black pepper, salt, Kashmiri chili, fenugreek, dry ginger, garlic, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmace, and curry leaves. I used a readymade brand purchased from the store for this recipe, Eastern Chicken masala.

The post Soya Roast appeared first on Pepper Delight.

A Healthy n Hearty Kerala Style Mixed Vegetable Curry… Cooked in a Coconut Cumin Green Chili mix! Avial… the inevitable element of a Sadya…!!

Avial is one of the most popular traditional vegetarian dishes of my hometown Kerala, and as well in Udupi cuisine. It is favored for its simplicity, use of locally available vegetables, and ease of preparation. Avial is also one of the main dishes served during a Sadya; the biggest vegetarian feast of Kerala. It being a South Indian delicacy, is also served for celebrations, special occasions, and as a regional specialty in many international restaurants.

The origin of this dish has various mythological stories behind it. One among them goes back to the Virata Parva of Mahabharat, when Prince Bhima was living in disguise as a cook named Ballava. Bhima did not like to waste vegetables and to ensure all leftovers were used, he created a recipe by boiling all the vegetables into a single dish with spices and lots of coconut. The word Avial inherently means boiling everything in water. Whoever tasted his dish loved it so much and that’s how this recipe named Avial thereafter became popular.

Avial can be prepared in different ways with the variations ranging from the type of vegetables used, the sour agent, and the pot in which it is cooked. The lengthwise cut of the vegetables is signature to the recipe. You might have noticed in my ingredients photo that the yam is square shaped. That’s due to the unavailability of fresh yam where I live and I’m forced to use frozen yam which comes in packets as small cubes. Traditional cooking in earthern pot / manchatti is preferred for all Kerala recipes including avial, as it enhances the flavor of the dish. The sour agent used varies in different regions of Kerala; tamarind, tomato, yogurt or green mango are the common ones. You may use just one or multiple types of sour agents together in your recipe, although I prefer a combination of tomato and a little tamarind.

The choice of vegetables in an Avial recipe are endless, so I highly recommend you read the Notes section below. While cooking, ensure not to overcook the vegetables. Some of them like yellow cucumber contain a lot of water and cook pretty fast ending up losing it crunchiness, so I would recommend cooking the dish on a low flame to get it right. And don’t forget to finally top the avial with coconut oil and curry leaves, it elevates the taste all together…!

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Avial / Mixed Vegetables in Coconut Gravy

A Healthy n Hearty Kerala Style Mixed Vegetable Curry… Cooked in a Coconut Cumin Green Chili mix! Avial… the inevitable element of a Sadya…!!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword avial, aviyal, kerala

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• ½ cup elephant-foot yam / chena
• 1 cup snake gourd / padavalanga
• 1 small raw banana / pacha kaya
• 1 small yellow cucumber / vellarikka
• 1 carrot (sliced lengthwise)
• 4-5 drumsticks (slit)
• 1 small tomato (sliced)
• ½ cup grated coconut
• 2 shallots
• 3 green chilies
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ¼ teaspoon of chili powder
• 1 small piece of gooseberry sized tamarind
• 3 sprigs of curry leaves
• ½ cup water
• 1-2 tbsp coconut oil
• salt (as required)

Instructions

• Peel / scrape the skin off of the yam, cucumber, carrot, drumsticks and raw banana. Pit the cucumber and the snake gourd.
• Clean and rinse all the above vegetables properly in water, and then slice them lengthwise. Keep aside.
• Make a paste of coconut, cumin seeds, shallots, and green chilies. Keep aside.
• Soak tamarind in a bowl with 4 tbsp of water and keep aside.
• In a pan / manchatti, cook the vegetables along with one strand of curry leaves, turmeric powder, chili powder and salt. Cover the lid and cook on a medium flame until the vegetables are half cooked.
• Squeeze the soaked tamarind to extract its juice, add it to the pan. Cook for another minute.
• Now add the grinded coconut paste and mix all the contents of the pan well. Allow the curry to boil for another 2-3 minutes on a low flame. At this stage, check for the seasoning. Ensure not to overcook the vegetables.
• Top with coconut oil and curry leaves, give it a final stir. Turn off the flame, cover the lid and allow it to rest for another 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve with hot steamed rice.

Notes

1. Vegetable options: Yellow Cucumber, Snake Gourd, Ash Gourd, Bottle Gourd, Elephant Foot Yam, Carrot, Potato, Drumsticks, Beans, Okra, Bitter Gourd, Raw Banana, Pumpkin, Egg Plant.
2. Sour agent options: Tamarind / Green Mango / Yogurt / Tomato
3. Ensure not to overcook the vegetables, they should maintain the shape and the curry should neither be too watery nor dry.
4. Using of Coconut oil is recommended for all authentic Kerala recipes.

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Paneer is fresh unsalted cheese which is commonly used in South Asian countries. Unlike other cheese, it doesn’t require ageing or culturing, and will not melt, which makes it ideal for soups, appetizers, and creamy curries.

For this recipe I used paneer bought from an Indian store. An alternate to paneer if not readily available is tofu (made from soya milk) which is low in calories and a healthier option.

Finally, after a lot of pestering by my friends to put this recipe out, I hope you enjoy it every bit…

Prep time         : 35- 45 minutes
Serves               : 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

Paneer                              : 14 oz (1.75 cup)
Onion                               : 2 (sliced thinly)
Green chilies                  : 1 (slit)
Ginger garlic paste       : 2 tbsp
Chili powder                  : 1 tbsp
Coriander powder        : 1 ½ tbsp
Pepper powder              : 2 tbsp
Garam masala                : 1 tbsp
Corn flour                        : 2 tbsp
Salt                                    : as required
Oil                                      : as required
Curry leaves                    : 3 sprigs

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut paneer into small cubes and marinate with salt, pepper (1 tbsp), chili powder, corn flour, & a little water. The marinade should be thick enough to coat the paneer. Keep aside to rest for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile cut onions, & green chilies into thin slices.
3. Make a paste of ginger & garlic and keep aside.
4. Add a little oil in a pan and shallow fry the paneer on a medium flame. Toss and fry till all sides turn lightly golden. Drain the extra oil with a paper towel.
5. To the same pan, add curry leaves & onions, and saute till it turns golden brown. Add the ginger garlic paste, & green chilies, and saute till the raw smell subsides.
6. Add coriander powder, pepper powder, garam masala and salt, and mix well.
7. Add the fried paneer cubes and a little water, and mix well with the masala. Close the lid and allow it to cook.
8. As the water dries out, add curry leaves and carefully toss the paneer. Close the lid and turn of the flame. Allow it to rest for 5 minutes.

Serve with roti or rice.

Note:

• Paneer bought from a store or refrigerated should be soaked in warm water for a few minutes before cooking, so that it maintains the water content and prevents from hardening or drying out.
• Do not freeze paneer, only refrigerate.
• Paneer if overcooked becomes hard and rubbery.

The post Paneer Pepper Masala appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Beetroot pachadi is a South Indian dish, from the state of Kerala. Pachadi in Malayalam (the state language) is a generic reference to any side dish made with curd and is usually on a sweeter note. Different varieties of pachadis made with fruits or vegetables are quite favored in Kerala, and are a must on the menu for festivals like Onam & Vishu, and auspicious occasions like weddings.

Beetroot pachadi stands out among other dishes for its vibrant color, and the refreshing taste which is generally unexpected from a recipe out of beetroot. Lots of people do not enjoy beetroot in general, but this dish is an exception and I would surely like you all to try this out.

Interested in more pachadi recipes: Check this out Pumpkin with Yogurt/Mathanga Pachadi

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Beetroot Pachadi/Beetroot with Yogurt

Beetroot cooked in a mildly spiced coconut gravy and mixed with creamy yogurt. One among the popular sadya recipes, best served with steamed rice...!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword beetroot pachadi, kerala, sadya

Servings 3

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 2 small beetroot (grated finely or finely minced)
• ½ cup grated coconut
• 2 green chilies
• ¼ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ cup - 1 cup Yogurt (beaten)
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• Salt (as required)
• Oil (as required)
• 1 or 2 sprigs Curry leaves

Instructions

• Peel and grate the beetroots, and keep them aside.
• Grind coconut, cumin seeds and green chilies. Set aside.
• Add a little oil to a pan and saute the grated beetroots for 2 minutes with a little salt, on a low flame. Add 1/2 cup water and cook it with a closed lid on medium flame.
• As the water evaporates and the beetroot gets cooked, add the grinded paste and mix well, cook for 3-4 minutes. Turn off the flame and allow it to cool.
• Beat yogurt in a separate bowl and mix it evenly with the cooked beetroot, taste and add salt as needed.
• Tempering: Heat oil in a separate pan. Splutter mustard seeds, and add dry red chilies and curry leaves. Transfer it to the prepared pachadi and mix well.
• Serve with steamed rice. Enjoy!

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