Chow Chow (Chayote) fry

I was looking for a quick and simple dish with chayote and came across Nithu's kitchen (http://www.nithubala.com/ ) and got this recipe. She has already done some changes to the original recipe from Geetha Achal's blog (http://geethaachalrecipe.blogspot.com/). Here goes the recipe with my alterations, 

Ingredients:

1 medium Chow Chow

2 Green Chilli (chopped)

4-5 Curry leaves

1/4tsp Turmeric powder

1tsp Cumin seeds

1/2tsp Mustard seeds

1/2tsp Urad dal

1 pinch Asafoetida

1/2tsp Black pepper powder

2tsp Oil

Salt

How to:

• Wash, peel the skin, discard the seed and dice the chayote into bite-size pieces.

• Heat oil in a skillet, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add urad dal, cumin seeds and asafoetida.

• Then add green chillies, followed by turmeric powder and the diced chayote.

• Add salt and saute until it starts browning slightly.
• Now add curry leaves and continue sautéing until tender and crispy.

• Switch off, sprinkle black pepper powder, mix well and let sit for a min.

Serve hot with sambar rice.

Rava/Sooji Dosa

Ingredients:

1 cup Rava

1 cup Rice flour

1/2 cup All purpose flour (Maida)

3 Green Chillies (minced)

1tsp Ginger (minced)

1tsp Black pepper powder

1 1/2tsp Whole black pepper (optional)

1tsp Cumin seeds

Salt

Oil 

How to:

• In a big bowl, mix all the ingredients except oil with enough water resulting a lump-free thin batter. (butter-milk consistency)

• Heat the griddle at high, rub the surface with onion dipped in oil (this avoids the dosa sticking to the griddle/tawa), pour/sprinkle the batter with your hand all over the surface. 

• (For onion dosa, sprinkle chopped onion over the hot griddle, wait for 30 secs, then pour the batter as usual.)

• Now add drops of oil over the dosa and spread it over with a spatula.
• Cook for 3-4 mins or until the bottom side is all browned. Do not flip, as the top side is already cooked.
• Carefully fold the sides over another and transfer it to a plate.

Serve hot with coconut chutney.

Tindora/Dondakaya Rice

Ingredients:

1 cup Basmati Rice (cooked with salt)

1 handful Tindora (quartered lengthwise)

1/2 Yellow onion (finely chopped)

1 small Carrot (finely chopped)

1/4tsp Turmeric powder

1/2tsp Garam masala powder

5-6 Curry leaves

3/4tsp Cumin seeds

1/2tsp Mustard seeds

2tsp + 1tsp Oil

Salt

How to:

• Heat 1tsp oil in a skillet, add the tindora along with salt and saute until they turn brown and keep aside.

• Heat the remaining oil in the same skillet, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add cumin seeds, followed by carrot.

• Saute'em for a couple of mins, then add turmeric powder and continue sautéing for 3 mins.

• Add onions, give it a quick mix and saute until tender along with pinch of salt.

• Add garam masala powder, curry leaves and saute for a couple of mins.

• Then add the sautéed tindora, mix well and let cook for a min.

• Now reduce the flame and toss the cooked rice gently into the skillet and check salt for taste.

• After a couple of mins, switch off and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Serve hot with onion raita.

Sending this dish to the event 'Festive Rice' hosted by Torviewtoronto. (http://torviewtoronto.blogspot.com/)

My first award

Hello friends, am very happy to receive this award and very kind of you Akila (Learning-to-cook) to share it with me. Thanks a lot. She has a lovely space with great collection of recipes. If you haven't visited her blog, check it out today.  

There is a rule to unwrap 7 things about me and share the award with 15 blogger friends. Here it goes:

About me

1. Never tired of shopping esp clothing & cosmetics
2. Having an affair with dark chocolates
3. Highly interested in cooking
4. Always ready to go on road trips
5. Love bright-sunny day 
6. Enjoy outdoor activities a lot
7. Like to shout and scream on amusement rides

Here comes the tough part in alphabetical order,

• Chitchat@crossroads by Ms.chitchat
• Divya's Recipes by Divya
• Few Minute Wonders by Srimathi
• Foodelicious by Pari
• INDIAN FOOD by Rach
• Kitchen Express by Neetz
• PranisKitchen - Recipes for food lovers -Try it you 'll love it by PranisKitchen 
• Rak's Kitchen by Raks
• scribblingpad.com by Indra
• Sharmis Passions by Sharmilee
• Simple Indian Food- An Easy Cooking Blog  by EC
• Sizzle N Spice by Rachana
• Spice Ur Senses by Rumana Rawat
• SUMADHURA by Kiran
• Taste of Pearl City by Umm Mymoonah

Friends, kindly accept the awards from me. Thanks again for your support.

Bhindi (Okra) Subzi

Ingredients:

1lb Okra 

1/2 Yellow onion (thinly sliced)

1/2 small Tomato (chopped) (optional)

3/4tsp Cumin seeds

1/2tsp Mustard seeds

3/4tsp Amchur powder (dry mango powder)

1/4tsp Turmeric powder

1/2tsp Red chilli powder

1/4 cup plain Yogurt

1tbsp Oil

Salt

How to:

• Wash, dry and cut the okra into 1" pieces and keep aside.

• Heat oil in a skillet, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add cumin seeds, followed by onions.

• Saute the onions until tender, add turmeric powder and continue sautéing for 3-4 mins.

• Then add the okra, mix well and cook along with salt and chilli powder for 8-10 mins in a medium flame. (Stir every 2 mins to avoid burning at the bottom.)

• When the stickiness is all gone and the okra starts browning, add amchur powder, give it a quick mix,

• Now, add the yogurt, stir and cook for a min or until the yogurt is all absorbed.

• Then add the tomatoes and cook with lid closed for 2-3 mins. (Adding tomatoes gives nice color to the dish.)

Switch off and serve hot with chapathi or steamed rice.

Aloo Paratha (Stuffed Indian Flat Bread)

For dough:

Ingredients:

2 cups Wheat flour

3/4 cup Water

2tsp Oil

1/4tsp Salt

How to:

• In a large bowl, mix in the flour and salt together, then add 1tsp oil, mix well, then pour the water and start kneading the dough with your hands. 

• Add the remaining oil over the dough and knead for couple of mins. (The resulting dough should not be neither sticky nor very hard.)

• Wrap the bowl and let the dough rest for 15-20 mins.

For stuffing:

Ingredients:

1 medium Potato (boiled)

2 green Chilli (finely minced)

1/2 Yellow onion (finely chopped)

2tsp Cilantro (chopped)

1 1/2tsp Ginger-Garlic paste

1/4tsp Chilli powder

1/2tsp Cumin powder

1/2tsp Chaat masala powder

1 1/2tsp Oil

Salt

How to:

• Grate or mash the boiled potato and keep it aside.

• Heat oil in a pan, add ginger-garlic paste and saute until raw smell disappears.

• Then add onions and green chilli along with salt and saute until onions are slightly brown.

• Add chilli powder, cumin powder and chaat masala powder, saute for a min, then add cilantro and cook for another min.

• Reduce the flame, add the mashed potato, mix well with the masala and cook for a min.

• Switch off, transfer the masala to a plate and let it cool.

How to roll:

• Divide the dough into equal pieces, roll each of'em in between your palms and make lemon-size balls out of it.
• Place the dough on a flat, flour-dusted surface and start flattening the dough around the edges.(Make sure its thick at the center and thin at the edges.)

• Now place 2tsp of  the filling at the center and start grabbing the sides, bringing it together, seal it and twist the excess dough off.

• Now, carefully flatten the masala filled dough with a rolling pin. Also make sure its rolled evenly.

• Remove the excess flour, place it on a hot griddle and cook for a couple of mins.

• Flip it, apply ghee or butter and cook until it browns evenly on both the sides. 

Transfer it to a plate and serve hot with any curry.