Aloo-mattar

Ingredients:
5 potatoes

1 cup garden peas (mattar) - fresh or frozen
2 green peppers chopped
8-10 curry leaves
1 tsp powdered red pepper
Salt to taste
3 tbsp lemon juice
Seasoning:
3 tsp oil
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp urad daal
1 red peppers dried

Method:
Cut potatoes in half and pressure cook in a cooker. After cooked potatoes are cool remove the peel and mash then and keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan. Add all seasoning ingredients. When seeds start to splutter add curry leaves green pepper and peas and saute. After the peas are cooked add the mashed potato salt to taste and red pepper powder, add water if desired to required consistency and cook on low flame for 5 min. Add the lemon juice and mix well.

Tips:
This is a great side dish with puri or chapathi

Capsicum curry (Bell pepper) – quick and easy side

Ingredients:
5 bell pepper –cut to squares
2 red peppers dried
8-10 curry leaves
3 tsp oil for seasoning
3 tbsp besan (chana daal powder)
1 tsp powdered red pepper & Salt to taste
Seasoning:
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp urad daal

Method:
Heat oil in a pan. Add all seasoning ingredients. When seeds start to splutter add curry leaves and cut bell pepper. When cooked well add besan, salt to taste, and powdered red pepper and mix well. Cook on low flame for few more min. and remove from flame.

Serve hot with rice or chapathi.

Bendakaya-masala (Bhindi masala/Curried Okra)

Ingredients:

2 pounds okra –sliced into long one inch pieces
2 large tomatoes –Cut
1 large onion – thinly sliced
2 green peppers chopped
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp urad daal
1 tbsp dhania powder (coriander seed powder)
1 tbsp garam masala
2 tsp garlic paste
8-10 curry leaves
4 tsp oil for seasoning
Salt to taste

Method
Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan; add the sliced okra and sauté. While the okra is cooking heat the remaining two tsp oil in another pan, add cumin, mustard, urad daal, turmeric and dhania powder and garam masala. When seeds start to splutter add the green pepper, curry leaves and onions and sauté till golden brown. Add tomatoes and cook well.
When okra is sautéed enough add the cooked onion-tomato mix to it and add salt to taste. Cook on simmer for a couple of min. and turn off.
Serve hot or cold with chapathi or rice

Beerakaya curry (ridge gourd) - quick & easy side

Ingredients:
2 pounds beerakayalu –cut to cubes
1 large cup onion -cut
2 tbsp besan (chana daal powder)
8-10 curry leaves
3 tsp oil for seasoning
Salt to taste
Seasoning:
1 red pepper dried
1 green pepper sliced
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp urad daal

Method:
Heat oil in a pan. Add all seasoning ingredients. When seeds start to splutter add onions and curry leaves. sauté till golden brown. Follow by adding the cut beerakaya. When cooked well add besan and salt to taste, mix well, cook on simmer for few more min. and remove from flame.

Serve hot with chapathi or rice

Zesty Cauliflower-Pea medley

Ingredients:
1 cauliflower, florets separated or cut
2 cups peas
1 cup carrots
1 small onion – sliced
1 red pepper
6-8 curry leaves,
2 table spoons oil
2 tbsp besan (Chickpea flour)

Salt to taste
For tempering:
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard
2 teaspoons urad daal
A pinch of turmeric

Method:
In a pan heat oil and add the tempering ingredients in order mentioned. When the mustard seeds start to splutter, add the red pepper, curry leaves. Stir in rest of the vegetables and saute with closed lid until the vegetables get tender. Stir occasionally. Adjust the salt and add besan and mix well. saute for 3 more min and take off the flame.
Serves 4
Serving tips: Serve hot or cold with chapathi or puri or with plain rice.

Senagalu koora / Chick pea platter

Ingredients:
2 cups ckick peas soaked in water for 3 h. and precooked(or replace with washed canned chickpeas /Garbanzo beans)
1 dried red pepper

2 sliced green pepper
6-8 curry leaves,
2 table spoons oil
Salt to taste
For tempering:
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard
2 teaspoons urad daal
A pinch of turmeric

Method:
In a pan heat oil and add the tempering ingredients in order mentioned. When the mustard seeds start to splutter, add the red pepper, curry leaves and sliced green pepper. Stir in chick peas and saute for 5-8 min. Stir occasionally. Adjust the salt and take off the flame.
Serves 6
Serving tip: Serve hot or cold either directly or with chapathi or plain white rice.

Dondakaya koora/ Tindora

Ingredients

2 pounds Dondakaya (tindora)washed and sliced cross wise
1 red pepper
6-8 curry leaves,
2 table spoons oil
Salt to taste
1tsp red pepper powder
For tempering:
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 teaspoons urad daal
A pinch of turmeric

Method:
In a pan heat oil and add the tempering ingredients in order mentioned. When the mustard seeds start to splutter, add the red pepper, curry leaves. Stir in cut dondakaya and saute until tender. Stir occasionally. Adjust the salt and add red pepper powder mix well and take off the flame.
Serves 6
Serving tips: Serve hot or cold with plain rice or chapathi.

Click here for more Ivy gourd recipes.

Aloo tomato curry

Ingredients
4-5 large potatoes peeled and cut to cubes
1 large onion peeled and cubed
2 green peppers sliced
2 tomatoes cut
6-8 curry leaves,
1 tsp ginger paste
2 table spoons oil
Salt to taste
1tsp red pepper powder
For tempering:
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 teaspoons urad daal
A pinch of turmeric

Method:
Heat oil in a pan and add the tempering ingredients in order mentioned. When the mustard seeds start to splutter, add the red pepper, ginger paste and curry leaves. Stir in sliced green pepper onions and potatoes, mix in with a cup of water if requires and cook until potatoes are tender. Stir in tomatoes and mix. Cook for 5 more min. Adjust the salt and add red pepper powder and mix. Take off the flame and serve hot.
Serves 6
Serving tips: Serve hot or cold with plain rice or chapathi

Bendakaya fry with peanuts (okra stir fry)

Ingredients:
2 pounds bendakaya (okra) – washed, ends removed and sliced in cross-sections

1 cup peanuts roasted with ½ teaspoon oil
6-8 curry leaves,
2 table spoons oil
Salt to taste
1tsp red pepper powder
For tempering:
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 teaspoons urad daal
A pinch of turmeric

Method:
Heat oil in a pan and add the tempering ingredients in order mentioned. When the mustard seeds start to splutter, add the red pepper, curry leaves. Stir in cut okra and saute until crisp and tender. Stir occasionally. Adjust the salt and add red pepper powder mix, add the roasted peanuts and mix well and take off the flame.
Serves 6
Serving tips: Serve hot or cold with plain rice or chapathi.

Aratikaya Vepudu /Plantain stir fry

Ingredients:
3 large plantains peeled and cut to 1 cm cubed
2 tsp cumin seeds
3 tbs oil
Optional -6-8 curry leaves
Salt to taste

Method:
Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds. When seeds start to splutter add cut plantains and fry till crisp and tender. Stir in and mix the salt and red pepper powder if desired.

Serving tips: A nice accompaniment with white rice or can be had as is