Easy tasty brown chana curry (kadala curry)

Prep time: 20 minutes (with cooked chana)

Serves: 4 adults

Ingredients:

Group 1)

1 cup small brown chana (dry)

- soak in water overnight to yield 2 cups

- rinse and drain in water 3-4 times

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or red chilli powder

Group 2)

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

2 tablespoons coconut oil

Curry leaves (optional)

1/4 teaspoon garam masala powder

1 tablespoon coriander powder

Group 3) 

1/2 medium tomato

1/4 large onion sliced big

1/2 inch ginger peeled & sliced

2 large garlic cloves

Group 4)

80 grams shredded coconut (or 1/6th of a 1lb frozen grated coconut pack, defrosted)

Preparation:

Cooking chana: 

In a small size pressure cooker, add group 1 ingredients with 1 cup water, tighten the lid and put the whistle. Heat on high. It takes 5-10 minutes for the first whistle. Switch off the stove, and let it pressure cook until pressure completely dies (~30 minutes). I usually do this step at least 5-6 hours before I plan to cook the curry.

Now the fun 'n exciting part begins:

Preparing the masala:

 Group 2 ingredients: Heat on medium high coconut oil, and add musard seeds. Add curry leaves once it sputters. Add garam masala and coriander powder. Stir lightly for 2 minutes. 

Now lets use our group 3 ingredients:

Grind the group 3 ingredients into a fine paste without adding any water (the tomato will serve that purpose). Mix it well into the paste on the stove.

 Keep cooking on med high for 5-7 minutes until the oil seeps out, and the mix resembles a thick paste. 

Group 4 ingredients:

Grind to a fine paste the coconut and 3 tablespoons of cooked chana in a small mixer, along with 2 tablespoons of water from the pressure cooker.

Add this paste to the mixture on stove, and cook in medium high for another 5-7  minutes, stirring frequently.

Now, add the cooked chana with the water remaining in the pressure cooker mixing in well into the cooked masala on the stove. Cook to boil (bubbles up a little), then turn off the stove. Add salt to your taste (we go low on  sodium for health reasons).

Tasty chana curry ready! 

Easy, isn't it? Serve with cooked rice or puttu or upma. Let me know how you like it.

Easy To Bake Tasty Vanilla Sponge Cake

Super easy and delicious vanilla sponge  cake.. takes less than an hour for prep & baking.

1.5 cups all purpose flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoon vanilla essence

Mix all the above ingredients into a smooth paste with an electric beater.

bake at 365 degree F for 35 minutes on a 9x5 inch pan greased with butter or coconut oil.

Enjooooy!

Veggie noodles with shrimp

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Servings: 3 adults

Ingredients:

Group 1)

3 t-spoons coconut oil

1cup frozen salad shrimp

3 tablespoons marinara sauce

Juice squeezed from 1/2 of a lemon

Group 2)

2 zucchinis - made into noodles using spirulizer

1 large carrot - peeled into thin ribbons using potato peeler

4 broccolet heads - sliced long and thin

4 brussel sprouts - grated thin (optional)

Preparation method:

Heat a large pan on medium high, and add coconut oil

Now add marinara sauce and let it simmer for a minute or two; add a teaspoon of crushed black pepper.

Next, add the frozen shrimp and lemon juice. Mix it well with the marinara sauce.

Stir occassionally, and cook for a couple of minutes. Now, add carrot ribbons, followed by broccolets, followed by zucchini noodles.

Cover with a lid and cook for another 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, mix up the veggies and shrimp, turn off the heat, serve & enjoy!!

Potato Mushroom Masala Curry

Preparation time: 35 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients: 

Group 1)

2 medium potatoes

4 large white of brown mushrooms

 

Group 2)

2 tblspoons coconut oil

3 tblspoons onion paste

2 t-spoons ginger garlic paste

1 tblspoon tomato paste

Group 3)

2 t-spoons salt

1/4 t-spoon turmeric powder

1 t-spoon cayenne pepper powder

2 t-spoons coriander powder

Preparation:

Heat coconut oil in a stainless steel bowl on medium-high until it melts. Add onion paste and saute for a minute.  

Now add ginger+garlic paste. Saute for 3-4 minutes.

Add items in group 3 and saute for 2-3 minutes before adding tomato paste.

 

Mix well and cook for few minutes until oil starts to form around the masala. 

Now, add a cup of hot water to this mix and bring to boil. 

Add chopped mushrooms and potatoes.

Mix it well with the masala.

Close with a lid and cook for 10 minutes on medium high and our curry is ready!!

Serve with steaming rice, or with a plain nan with yogurt on the side!