Vegetable Thai Red Curry

2 cups of vegetables(broccoli, zucchini, carrots,mushrooms,babycorn)
1 cup extra firm tofu
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup coconut milk
1 tsp cornflour
salt to taste
a few basil leaves
1 tsp lemon juice
a little lemon zest
1/2 tsp sugar


Red Curry Paste-
5 red chilles
1 clove garlic.
1 inch piece ginger
5 small red onions
5 stalks of cilantro
a few peppercorns
1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
2 tbsp coriander powder
2 tbsp cumin seeds powder

Blend to a fine paste with a little water.

Method-

Heat oil, add the masala paste and fry till well done.Add the tomato paste, saute for a few minutes.
Add the cut vegetables, add salt and  and cook till almost done. You want the vegetables to remain crisp.
Add tofu and let the the flavors blend.
Add the coconut milk mixed with cornflour.
Cook on simmer till the curry gets thick.
Add chopped basil a little lemon juice, lemon zest and sugar.
Serve with rice.

Tomato Rasam

I got one tomato from my garden today, and decided to make Tomato Rasam, add a few more grape tomatoes, that I had in the fridge. The utensil I used to make the rasam is a special type of metal called 'Eayum Chembu', for some reason gives rasam a special flavor.

2 medim sized tomatoes
1 tsp tamarind paste
1/2 tsp turmeric
a pinch of asafetida
1 tsp rasam powder, add more if you want it spicier
salt to taste
2 tbsp cooked dal( I used masoor dal)
1/4 tsp sugar
a few curry leaves
1 tbsp cilantro
few drops of lemon juice

masala to be ground-
Blend coarsely in the blender, one garlic clove, 1/2 inch ginger, a few peppercorns, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, and couple ofcurry leaves.

tadka-
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 dried red chilli
a few curry leaves
a pinch of asafetida

Method-
Heat 1/2 tsp oil, add the blended masala, and saute for a few minutes, add chopped tomatoes, saute again for a couple of minutes.
Add 1and 1/2 cups water or so
, tamarind paste, salt and turmeric.
Once it comes to a boil, add rasam powder, dal, curry leaves, sugar, and keeping the heat on medium, cook till the tomatoes are done.
Remove from heat, add the tadka, then add cilantro, lemon juice.
Serve as a soup or with rice.
 

Kanda Poha (Aval Upma)( Beaten Rice Flakes)

3 cups Poha (thick)(Beaten Rice Flakes or Aval)
1 large onion
4 green chilles
4 curry leaves
1 small potato cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 tsp turmeric
salt to taste
1 tsp sugar
3 tbsp cilantro finely chopped
2 tbsp or more fresh lemon juice

Tadka-
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp udad dal
1/2 tsp hing

Method-

Wash poha,  rinse a couple of times, and leave to drain, while you get the rest of the ingredients ready.
Cook the potaoes with a lilltle water in a microwave for 4 minutes and keep aside.
Slice onion lengthwise, green chillies.
Heat oil add, mustard seeds, urad dal, once they pop add the hing, the onions, green chillies, curry leaves.
Saute till golden add the potatoes, turmeric and a little salt.
Stir for a few more minutes, add the poha, ssome more salt, sugar and stir well till blended.
Cover, leave on medium heat, till the flavors marry.
Add lemon juice and cilantro, stir well, take off heat.
Cover and keep for a couple of minutes and serve.

 

Keera Kootu(Greens with Split Yellow Lentils)

3 cups spinach chopped or any kind of greens
1/2 cup cooked split lentils( yellow or red)
salt to taste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder

Spice powder-
1 tbsp chana dal
2 red chilles
6 peppercorns
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
Dry roast all the above ingredients, and powder finely in a blender.

Tadka-
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp urad dal

Heat oil, add mustard seeds and urad dal, once the seeds pop, add spinach, cooked dal, salt, turmeric and the spice powder.
Add 1/2 cup water, cook till everything blends together, and spinach is cooked.
Serve with bread or rice.