Tag Archives: Food

Vegetables in a Caramelised Onion and Saffron Gravy

Posted on by
Reply

While thinking of lunch options over the weekend, I thought of a gravy made of caramelised onions and saffron. I googled to see if there was any recipe online with this gravy and realised that there were middle eastern recipes which had something similar. I saw a Moroccon recipe for Onion Mezgueldi as well as Tfaya, which used caramelised onions as a base.

While the middle eastern recipes were not what I was looking for, I experiemented in my kitchen and the result was this slightly creamy with hints of sweetness from the caramelised onions and raisins and an undertone of the saffron. It was a huge it at home and a definite keeper. But note this recipe uses more than the usual amout of oil and butter and takes longer than usual to make.

I used a mixture of carrots, cauliflower, brocolli, potatoes, green bell peppers and paneer to make the recipe, but you can play around with vegetables of your choice. The recipe is also not very thick, so you could possibly add some thickening agent if you want it thicker.

Vegetables in a Caramelised Onion and Saffron Gravy

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups mixed vegetables chopped into bite sized pieces (I used carrots, cauliflower, brocolli, potatoes and green bell peppers)
  • 1 cup paneer, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes
  • 2 tsp raisins, soaked in hot water for 15-20 minutes
  • 3 large onions, sliced
  • 1 bulb garlic, peeled
  • 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled
  • 2 tsp white sesame seeds
  • 1 tsp red chilli powder
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala powder
  • 1 tbsp kasuri methi
  • 2 generous pinches of saffron
  • Salt to taste
  • 3 – 5 tbsp oil
  • 1 tbsp butter

Method:

  • Slice the onions and keep aside.
  • Chop the vegetables into bite sized pieces and keep aside
  • Heat 2 tbsp oil and the butter in a large pan and when the oil heats up, fry the onions in batches until it is crispy and caramelised. Add more oil if needed. Remove, drain and keep aside.
  • In the same oil (adding slightly more if needed), fry the garlic and ginger until golden. Drain and keep aside.
  • Drain the raisins and in a blender, blend together the crispy onions and the raisins with some water to a smooth paste. Remove into a container and keep aside.
  • In the same blender, blend the fried ginger, garlic and sesame seeds into a fine and smooth paste. Keep aside.
  • Heat another tbsp oil in a pan and when it warms up, add in the chopped vegetables and cook until the vegetables are about 70% cooked. Remove and keep aside.
  • In the same pan, heat 1 tsp oil and when the oil warms up, add in the ginger, garlic and sesame seed paste. Let the paste come to a boil and then add the caramelised onion paste.
  • When the pastes start bubbling, add the dry spices – turmeric powder, chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and garam masala and stir well. Crush the saffron strands in your palms and add it to the gravy.
  • Add water to thin the gravy to suit your taste and when the gravy has simmered for around 10 minutes, add in the half cooked vegetables.
  • Chop the paneer into bite sized pieced and add it to the gravy.
  • Stir well and then crush the kasuri methi in your palms and add to the gravy. Let it simmer for another 5 minutes, then garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with any Indian bread or rice.

I served this with a peas pulao

Recipes: Kadhai Vegetable

Posted on by
Reply

Another Sunday and another recipe. While browsing online for something to pair with my Saffron Cumin Rice, I found a few kadhai vegetable recipes which I modified to make this delicious recipe for our Sunday lunch. It was super yummy and a definite keeper.

Kadhai Vegetables

Ingredients:

For the masala powder:

  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2-3 cloves
  • 2-3 green cardamom
  • 1/2 inch piece of cinammon
  • 4-5 dried red chillies
  • 5-7 black peppercorns
  • 8-10 raw cashewnuts
  • 1 tbsp kasuri methi

For the vegetables:

  • 1 carrot
  • 1 medium-sized potato
  • 1/2 cup frozen green peas
  • 1 large sized green bell pepper
  • 2 medium sized onions
  • 1 cup frozen paneer
  • 2-3 tbsp oil

For the Gravy:

  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 medium-sized onion
  • 1 inch ginger
  • 4-5 garlic cloves
  • 3 tomatoes
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp red chilli powder (or to taste)
  • Salt to taste
  • Coriander leaves to garnish

Method:

  • In a dry pan, dry roast the ingredients for the masala – coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cloves, green cardamom, cinammon, dried red chillies, peppercorns, cashewnuts and kasuri methi – until it becomes fragrant and starts to brown.
  • Remove and keep aside until it is cooled. Then blend using a spice grinder into a fine and smooth powder. Keep aside.
  • In a blender, blend the ginger and garlic and make into a fine paste and keep aside.
  • Soak the frozen paneer in hot water for 20-30 minutes, then drain and keep aside.
  • Chop the carrot, potato and green bell pepper into 1 inch sticks and keep aside.
  • Slice 2 onions and keep aside.
  • In the same pan, heat 2 tbsp oil and one by one, fry the carrot, potato and peas until they are half cooked and start to slightly char. Remove and keep aside.
  • In the same pan, add another tbsp oil and fry the sliced onions until they start caramelising and keep aside. Fry the bell pepper until it is half cooked (it shuld have a bit of crunch in it) and keep aside.
  • Chop the remaining onion finely and keep aside.
  • In thr same blender, blend the tomatoes into a fine puree and keep aside.
  • Heat the balance oil in the pan and when the oil warms up, put in the ginger-garlic paste and saute the paste till the raw smell goes away.
  • Then add the finely chopped onions and saute till it turns translucent.
  • At this point, add the pureed tomatoes and stir well.
  • Add the dried spices (turmeric and red chilli powders) and stir well. Keep stirring occassionally until the gravy starts to thicken and you can see the oil leaving the sides of the pan.
  • Add in the fried carrot, potato and peas and let the vegetables finish cooking completely.
  • Then add the ground masala powder, salt, and about one cup of water and let the gravy simmer on a low to medium heat, covered, for about 5-6 minutes.
  • Then add the paneer, fried onions and capsicum and contine simmering for another 5 minutes. Add more water if needed.
  • Check for seasoning and garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or rotis.

Recipe: Saffron Cumin Rice

Posted on by
Reply

I saw a reference to Saffron Rice in some recipes I was browsing while thinking about what to cook last Sunday. The name intrigued me and I got thinking about how this recipe would look and taste. So I tried making my version and the result was a delicious, fragrant but simple dish which I put together in less than 15 minutes of prep time plus cooking time.

Saffron is a very exotic and expensive spice. It is derived from the flower of Crocus sativus, commonly known as the “saffron crocus”. The vivid crimson stigmata and styles, called threads, are collected and dried to be used mainly as a seasoning and colouring agent in food. Although some doubts remain on its origin, it is believed that saffron originated in Iran, but Greece and Mesopotamia have also been suggested as the possible region of origin of this plant.

Saffron is a powerful antioxidant and is said to have cancer fighting properties. It is also said to reduce heart disease risk factors, lower blood sugar levels and improve eyesight in adults with age-related macular degeneration. It may improve memory in adults with Alzheimer’s disease

Saffron and Cumin Rice

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup basmati rice, soaked in water for 20 minutes
  • 2 pinches saffron
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • ¼ tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tbsp milk
  • 1 tbsp ghee
  • 1 cup water
  • Salt to taste

Method:

  • Soak the basmati rice for 20-30 minutes and drain and keep aside.
  • Warm the milk in a small container and then put one pinch of the saffron and let the saffron dissolve in the milk.
  • Heat the ghee in a pan and when warm, add the cumin seeds. Let the cumin seeds splutter and then crush the remaining saffron with your fingertips and add to the ghee.
  • Add the turmeric powder and stir for a couple of seconds. The turmeric is added to enhance the colour of the rice plus for its antiseptic properties. So you can omit it if you want.
  • Next add the soaked rice and stir for a few minutes. Stir the dissolved saffron and milk and add this to the rice. Mix well.
  • Add the salt (approximately 1 tsp per cup of rice) and stir well.
  • Transfer to a rice cooker, add the water and cook until it is done. Let it sit in the rice cooker for 10 minutes and then fluff the rice. Serve hot with any gravy vegetable.
  • If you are cooking using the stove top, add the water to the rice while using the pan to fry the rice, then cook it until it is al-dente. Keep an eye on the rice and add more water if needed.

I served this rice with a yummy kadhai vegetable, the recipe which I will share very soon

Methi Makkai Mattar or Fenugreek Leaves, Sweet Corn and Peas in Gravy

Posted on by
Reply

I had some frozen Methi lying in my fridge and was thinking about how to use it when am idea popped into my head and would not leave. So last week, I decided to try something and just hoped for the best. Luckily for me, the recipe turned out fine and was actually quite good, if I may say so. So here’s the latest experiment from my kitchen.

Methi Makkai Matar or Fenugreek leaves, Sweet Corn and Peas in a Gravy

Ingredients:

  • 1 small cup frozen or fresh methi leaves
  • 1 cup frozen or fresh sweet corn
  • 1 cup frozen or fresh green peas
  • 2 medium sized onions
  • 2 medium sized tomatoes, chppped
  • 5-6 pods of garlic, peeled
  • 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled
  • 3-4 red chillies (I used the small ones, you can also use green chillies)
  • 10 pieces of whole cashew nuts
  • 10 pieces of almonds
  • 4-6 tbsp yoghurt
  • 4 pieces of clove
  • 4 pieces of cardamom
  • 1.5 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 1/2 tsp ajwain or carom seeds
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp red chilli powder
  • 1/2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
  • 4-5 tsp oil

Method:

  • Defrost the frozen vegetables (if using) and lightly cook them in a microwave till they are soft.
  • If you don’t have access to a microwave, then pour boiling water over the frozen corn and peas for 20 minutes, drain and keep aside. Let the frozen methi defrost and keep aside.
  • If you are using fresh methi, pluck and chop the leaves and keep aside.
  • Slice the onions and keep aside. Roughly chop the tomatoes and keep aside. Peel the ginger and garlic and keep aside.
  • In a pan, heat about 3-4 tsp of oil and when the oil warms, add the sliced onions and let it brown. We want the onions to caramelise and become brown.
  • When the onions are about 80% brown, move the onions to the sides of the pan and in the same oil, add the whole spices – 1 tsp cumin seeds, coriander seeds, carom seeds, cloves and cardamom and let them pop.
  • Then add the garlic and ginger and sauté for a minute. Then add the chopped onions and let the tomatoes cook and become pulpy. Switch off the gas and let it cool. Move this to a blender and when fully cool, blend to a smooth paste, adding water if needed.
  • In the same pan, add the balance oil and heat it. When the oil warms, add the remaining cumin seeds and let it pop.
  • Then add the methi leaves and stir for a few minutes. After that, add the corn and peas and salt to taste.
  • Cover and cook until the vegetables are almost done, stirring often.
  • When the vegetables are almost done, add the blended paste and stir.
  • Add some water to thin (but not too much) and then the spice powders – turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder and coriander powder.
  • In the same blender, whisk the yoghurt well and add it to the gravy.
  • Check for seasoning and add what’s missing.
  • Add the garam masala powder and let it boil on a low to medium flame for 5 minutes
  • Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with an Indian bread or even plain rice.

Keerai Sambar or Spinach Sambar

Posted on by
Reply

Everyone knows how healthy spinach is. A low calorie vegetable, the spinach is consiidered a superfood and green vegetables like the spinach are very good for skin, hair and bone health. Spinach is a great source of iron and one cup of raw spinach contains as much as 0.81 gm of iron. Spinach is low in carbs but high in insoluble fiber. Spinach also packs high amounts of carotenoids, vitamin C, vitamin K, folic acid, iron, and calcium.

I usually make Spinach Dal, Mor Keerai or even Spinach Rice, but never really tried trying spinach as a sambar. Earlier this week, when making lunch where the other dishes were south Indian, I decided to make spinach sambar as opposed to a dal which was what the children were asking for just so all the dishes were south Indian. The resultant sambar was super yum and it even cooked faster than the usual sambar.

Spinach or Keerai Sambar

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups spinach, washed and chopped roughly
  • 2 medium sized onions, chopped into big pieces
  • 1 gooseberry size tamarind, soaked in hot water for 20-30 minutes
  • 1 cup toor dar, soaked in warm water for 20 minutes
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1/4 tsp asafoetida
  • 1 tsp jaggery
  • 2 tsp sambar powder
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tbsp oil

Method:

  • Cook the toor dal in a pressure cooker or on the stove top till it is cooked and mushy. Beat it well till it becomes a homogenous mass, adding water if it is too thick. Keep aside.
  • Mash and seive the soaked tamarind and thin it till it is at the sourness you like. Keep aside.
  • Heat the oil in a pan and when warm, add the mustard seeds and let them pop. Then add the asafoetida and stir for a few seconds.
  • Now add the chopped onions and stir until they are translucent.
  • When the onions are translucent and soft, add the chopped spinach and let them wilt.
  • When the spinach is wilted, add in the prepared tamarind water and then add the salt, sambar powder and jaggery and let it cook for around 5-7 minutes.
  • When the spinach and onions and completely cooked and the raw smell of tamarind goes away, add the cooked dal to the sambar.
  • Check for seasoning and add what needs to be added. Let the sambar cook for another five minutes and then switch off the flame.
  • Serve hot with a south Indian meal of rice and a stir fry curry.

Notes:

  • If you don’t have access to tamarind pulp, you can also buy tamarind paste which you should get in any Indian store. Use 1-2 tsp (as per your taste)
  • Instead of spinach, you can use any greens for this recipe