Gobi Mattar Masala

Ingredients:

1 medium Cauliflower (florets separated)

1 Yellow onion (finely chopped)

1 cup green peas (thawed)

2 1/2 Roma tomatoes (chopped)

1tbsp ginger-garlic paste

1/4tsp Turmeric powder

2tsp Chilli powder

1tbsp Coriander powder

3/4tsp Garam masala powder

1tsp Cumin seeds

2 cups water

Salt

2tbsp Oil

How to:

• In a skillet, heat oil and add cumin seeds, when it splutters, add onions along with salt and saute until tender.

• Add ginger-garlic paste and cook until raw smell disappears, followed by turmeric powder.

• Then add coriander powder, chilli powder and saute for a couple of mins.

• Now, add tomatoes and cook in a reduced flame with lid closed, until its completely mashed. (Stir once or twice to check if the masala is not burnt.)

• Pour the water with required salt and cook in a medium flame for a min.

• Then add the cauliflower florets and peas, mix well and cook with lid closed.

• Cook until they are tender and not mushy. Add the garam masala powder and simmer for another min. Also check salt for taste.

• Switch off and garnish with cilantro.

Serve hot with steamed rice/chapathi/poori/naan, you name it.

Mushroom masala (dry)

Ingredients:

8oz White button mushroom (quartered)

1 Yellow onion (thinly sliced)

1/2 green bell pepper (thinly sliced)

3 dry red chillies (cut lengthwise)

4 garlic pods (crushed)

1 piece ginger (crushed)

2 spring onions (chopped)

5-6 Curry leaves

1/4tsp Turmeric powder

3/4tsp Chilli powder

2tsp Chicken masala powder

Salt

Oil

How to:

• Heat oil in a skillet, add dry red chillies and crushed ginger-garlic and saute for a min.

• Then add onions along with salt and saute until golden brown.

• Add turmeric powder and curry leaves and saute till curry leaves splutters.

• Now add chicken masala powder, chilli powder and saute for another min.

• Add the mushrooms and cook until water starts oozing out.

• Then add the bell pepper and half of the spring onions and saute in a reduced flame.

• Cook until tender and water is evaporated. Also, check salt for taste.

• Switch off and garnish with remaining spring onions.

Serve hot with steamed rice or chapathi.

Mushrooms

Lemon-Butter Chicken with Sautéed Brussels Sprout & Baked Asparagus

Ingredients:

2 Chicken fillets

1tbsp Olive oil

2tsp Lemon juice

1 1/2tbsp Butter

Poultry Seasoning

Black Pepper (freshly cracked)

Salt

How to:

• Cut the chicken crosswise and coat with olive oil.
• Then sprinkle the salt, black pepper and poultry seasoning on both the sides, wrap and marinate for 30 mins.

• In a skillet, heat butter until foaming, place the chicken fillets and cook.

• Flip the fillet after 4 mins and cook the other side until it starts browning.

• Then pour the lemon juice over the fillets and cook with lid closed for 2 mins.

• Reduce the flame and cook until both the sides are evenly brown. Do not overcook, as the chicken may turn rubbery.
• Transfer it to a plate and drizzle the remaining lemon-butter sauce(also scrape the bits along) from the skillet, over the chicken.

Serve hot with veggies.

Sautéed Brussels Sprout:

Ingredients:

8-10 Brussels Sprout

1tbs Olive oil

1tsp Lemon juice

Black pepper (freshly cracked)

Salt

How to:

• Remove the loose leaves and trim the stems of the brussels sprout.

• Then wash well and halve them.

• Heat olive oil in a skillet and add the brussels sprout, followed by salt and pepper.

• Saute for 8-10 mins or until tender when skewered.

• Then pour less than 1/4 cup of water and saute until it evaporates.

• Switch off, pour lemon juice and toss well.

Serve hot as a side.

Baked Asparagus:

5-6 Asparagus (thicker spears)

1 1/2tsp Olive oil

Black pepper (freshly cracked)

Salt

How to:

• Preheat the oven at 400 degrees.
• Wash and trim the tough ends of the asparagus and discard'em.
• In a baking dish, coat the asparagus with olive oil and sprinkle the salt and pepper.

• Bake for 20 mins or until juicy and tender.

Serve hot as a side.

Kuzha Puttu

Ingredients:

2 cups Rice flour

1tbsp Chana dal

1 1/2 cups Coconut (grated)

1/2 cup Water

Salt

Also required:

Puttu maker

Pressure cooker

How to:

• Heat a skillet and dry roast the rice flour at medium heat for few mins.
• In a bowl mix the roasted flour and salt together. Also mix 3/4 cup of grated coconut to the flour.

• Sprinkle water over the flour mixture and mix well. Now, try holding in your fist and make sure it doesn't break off.(perfect mixture)

• Mean while, microwave the chana dal for 3 mins with enough water.
• Drain the water, mix it up with the flour mixture and let it rest for 20 mins with lid closed.

• Now, fill a single layer coconut at the bottom of the puttu maker, followed by a fistful of flour mixture. Repeat this alternatively with the top layer as coconut and close the lid.

• Heat water in a pressure cooker and when it starts steaming, place the puttu maker in the place of the whistle.

• Cook until steam comes out of the puttu maker. This should take around 4-5 mins.
• Remove the puttu maker from the cooker, open the lid and push it out from the bottom with a stick.

Serve hot with kadalai curry or banana and sugar.