Plain coconut juice curry

In the last few weeks I have shared a couple of coconut based curries. A couple of weeks ago I published the Plain red coconut curry. Today's curry recipe is similar to it, except that instead of ground coconut we use coconut milk in this recipe. You may think it tastes similar too, but a coconut milk based curry tastes much richer and has a creamier texture. You could also add prawns to this curry and make a prawn curry and it tastes wonderful. Since prawns are preferred fried or as a dry preparation in my house, I like to make the curry plain. Serve the curry with hot rice, a piece of fried fish and any vegetable foogath and you will have  finger licking meal.

Recipe credit : Rozita Coutinho (Alex's mum)

Ingredients:

1. 1 Coconut - milk extracted or
2. 400 ml - coconut milk
3. Oil - 1 tbsp
4. Onion - 1 large, finely chopped
5. Tomato - 1 medium, finely chopped
6. Green chilly - 1 or two, slit (optional)
7. Tamarind pulp - 1 tbsp
8. Stock cube - 1 no

For the masala:

1. Kashmiri chilly - 8 nos
2. Garlic - 6 cloves
3. Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
4. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
5. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
6. Peppercorns - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Grind to a fine paste the ingredients, mentioned under for the masala. Keep aside. Reserve the water used to rinse the grinder jar.
2. In a pan, heat oil, add the chopped onion and fry till light brown.
3. Add the tomatoes, and the ground masala, stir well and cook for two minutes. Add the stock cube, reserved water, tamarind pulp and the coconut milk.
4. Let it simmer for about twenty minutes, check for consistency.
5. If adding chilly, add it two minutes before putting off the flame.

Tur Daal and Drumstick Curry

This recipe has been sitting in my drafts for way too long. I remember, when my mum lived with me, every morning post breakfast she and I got into a huddle of sorts in an effort to plan the meal for the day. During those days, at least most week days we cooked a vegetarian meal and stocked the fridge accordingly. On this particular day, the fridge seemed bare, and the only vegetable there was drumsticks. There was absolutely nothing else. I was dreading the thought of making lunch that only had drumsticks. But my mother's knack for making a curry out of anything amazes me. I guess that's what mothers are all about. Waving their invisible wands and cooking with the most mundane ingredients and turning them into a delicious meal.

Drumstick and Tur daal (aka pigeon pea) curry (Saango ani daalechi kadhi) is a tasty treat that goes well with steamed rice and a pickle or fried fish. This is a traditional Mangalorean curry with coconut and spices. In fact there are many such unheard of combinations that are a regular feature in a Mangalorean household. You can make a similar curry with brinjals or eggplant instead of drumstick, other vegetable curries include different types of pulses, winter melon, bottle gourd, cauliflower etc that can be cooked with coconut, red chilly and other spices. More recipes on that later. For now I'd say, this is a must try for people who like coconut based curries.

Recipe credit: Cecilia Sequeira

Ingredients:

1. Drumstick - 3 nos
2. Tur Daal (pigeon peas) - 1/2 cup
3. Tomatoes - 2 medium

Grind the below mentioned ingredients with water:

1. Coconut - 1 cup, grated
2. Onion - 1 small (roughly chopped)
3. Garlic - 2 flakes
4. Kashmiri red chillies - 3 nos
5. Cumin seeds (jeera) - 1/2 tsp
6. Mustard seeds (rai) - 1/2 tsp
7. Coriander seeds (dhania) - 1 tbsp
8. Tamarind - 1 small lime sized ball
9. Turmeric powder(haldi) - 1/2 tsp

Tempering:

1. Oil - 2 tbsp
2. Curry leaves - 10 -15 nos
3. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Cook the daal and tomatoes in an pan with 2 cups of water. If using a pressure cooker, let it cook for two whistles and switch off the flame.
2. Once the daal is cooked, add the ground masala, drumsticks and salt to the pan. Let it come to a boil and then add water as per the desired consistency. Let it cook for about 5 to 7 minutes.
3. For tempering, use a small pan, pour oil, when the oil is hot add the mustard seeds, when they stop crackling, put off the gas flame and add curry leaves.
4. Put this oil immediately into the pan containing the curry.
5. You can temper the curry just before or after you put off the gas flame.

Simple veg soup

Soups don't usually feature in my menu unless someone is sick or has specifically requested for it. We live in a city that is warm all year, and that's why I believe we never really crave soup. But it's a different story when someone is sick, soup can be very comforting and goes down easy.

This recipe is one of the many recipes that I have learnt from my mum-in-law. We've had had this numerous times on our visit to her home. And for someone who doesn't like soup, David gobbles it up at an amazing speed. Of course his soup is blended, so its a thick creamy soup, while most of us at home prefer the thin runny liquid with almost melted veggies and macaroni.

Recipe credit : Rozita Coutinho (Alex's mum)

Ingredients:

1. 1 large onion
2. 1 large tomato
3. 1 large potato
4. 1 large celery stalk
5. 1 large carrot (optional)
6. 1/4 cup uncooked macaroni/noodles
7. 1 tbsp yellow moong daal (split moong)
8. 1 tbsp Oil
9. 2 stock cubes/ 1 ltr of stock
10. Salt and pepper for seasoning

Method:

1. Soak the moong daal in half a cup of water an hour before you start making the soup.
2. Roughly chop all the vegetables and set aside.
3. Heat oil in a large pot, add the onions and fry till they soften, add the tomatoes and fry well for about a minute or two.
4. Add the potatoes, carrots, moong daal and celery and mix well. Bring it to a boil, lower the flame and let the vegetables cook and come together.
5. Add a liter of water, bring the soup to a boil and let it simmer it for 20 mins.
6. Add the macaroni/noodles, and the stock cube and let it simmer till the macaroni is cooked. Adjust the consistency and check for seasoning.

Eggplant in garlic

Eggplants are very popular and easily available in the Philippines. I love this vegetable, and try and cook it at least once a week, even though I am the only one who eats it at home. Today's recipe is quite simple and I cook it very often. If your an eggplant fan,like me, you should give it a go.

Ingredients:

1. Eggplant - 200 gms
2. Garlic - 3 fat cloves
3. Salt and pepper - as needed
4. Oil - as needed

Method

1. Wash and cut the eggplant into three inch pieces (lengthwise)
2. Finely chop garlic.
3. Heat oil in a pan, add the garlic and fry for a minute.
4. Add the eggplant, salt and pepper. Stir fry for a minute and then cook on slow flame for six to seven minutes. 

Alternately, you could marinate the egg plant in all the mentioned ingredients and grill till done.

You could also add half a tablespoon of soy sauce to add Asian flavor.

Dosa bhaji (Potato bhaji)

Last week I had posted the recipe for dosas and this week I am posting two recipes that go well with it. Today's recipe is credited to my mum-in-law. She used to make this lovely potato bhaji with dosas every Friday, since Fridays are no meat days in their home. It is extremely simple to make this recipe and tastes heavenly with the dosas and some chutney.

Ingredients:

1. Boiled potatoes - 4 medium sized
2. Onions - 2 large sized, sliced thinly
3. Ginger - half inch piece, grated
4. Green chilly - 3 -4 nos, finely chopped
5. Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
6. Salt

Tempering:

1. Urad daal - 1/4 tsp
2. Chana daal - 1/4 tsp
3. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
4. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
5. Curry leaves - a few 
6. Oil

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add all the ingredients mentioned in - Tempering, in that order.
2. Add the onions, salt and chilies. Fry till the onions turn translucent.
3. Add the grated ginger and turmeric. Mix well.
4. Roughly mash the potatoes and add them to the pan, and mixing the contents of the pan well.
5. Sprinkle water if needed so that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Don't pour water, if required keep sprinkling till all the contents are well mixed.
6. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves. This is optional.

Recipe for dosas is here. You may also find it under the label of bread and breakfast.

Dal Fry

Dals or lentils are a common preparation in most Indian meals. I have to dedicate few posts to this humble yet important dish. I cook dal at least once a week. Some weeks more. ;-) Mostly on days that I have no clue what to cook or on days when I feel we need to take a well deserved break from all non vegetarian food. The beauty of cooking dals is that it can be cooked in so many different ways, by adding as many or as little spices, vegetables and other ingredients from your kitchen. I personally prefer to keep it simple. But today's post is by no means a simple dal recipe. It is one of the most popular dal preparations of all time. At least in my circle of family and friends.

I learnt this recipe from my elder sister, Anita, and this recipe has a special place of honor in her kitchen. Her family loves a meal of dal fry with jeera pulao and fried chicken. Who wouldn't! In fact as I am writing this post I am salivating for this meal. :-( But this meal will have to wait, at least for now.

Coming back to the post, this specific dal preparation goes well with jeera pulao (cumin tempered rice), Indian pickle and papad. According to me, this simple meal is worth many scrumptious buffets, as it brings many fond memories of my childhood and loved ones. Hope you like it as much.... Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1. Tuvar Dal - 1 cup
2. Onions - 3 medium (Finely chopped)
3. Tomatoes - 3 medium (Finely chopped)
4. Green chilly - 3 nos (adjust as per taste) (Finely chopped)
5. Garlic - 3 fat flakes (Finely chopped)
6. Ginger - 1/2 inch (Finely sliced)
7. Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
8. Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
9. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
10. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
11. Asafoetida (hing) - 1/4 tsp
12. Curry leaves - 20 leaves
13. Coriander leaves - for garnish (Finely chopped)
14. Oil - as required
15. Salt - as required

Method:

1. Cook the dal in 1 cup of water till it is soft and squishy. Once cooked, whisk it so that the consistency is thick throughout. Keep aside.
2. In case your cooking the dal in a pressure cooker, take three whistles, and then take it off the stove. The dal should be thick in consistency, and not watery and runny. Keep aside.
3. Heat oil in a deep pan, add the mustard seeds, let it stop crackling. Then add the chopped garlic,green chilly, curry leaves, and asafoetida. Mix well and let it fry for a minute. Add the ginger.
4. Then add chopped onions and fry well till the onions turn golden brown.
5. Add the tomatoes. Mix well. Let this mixture cook for a couple of minutes. When the oil starts leaving the sides, add the powders. Stir well and fry the mixture for two to three minutes.
6. Finally add the cooked dal and salt. Mix well. Let the dal simmer and mix with all ingredients for three to five minutes.
7. Garnish with fresh chopped coriander leaves.

Squash soup

In my attempt to get David to eat vegetables, I have started making soups. It is a healthier snack option before dinner time and goes down easy.

While the soup is easy to make, and is super to taste, the biggest challenge maybe peeling the squash. I find it particularly difficult, since squash skin is quite tough. One thing I have observed is that the longer you store the squash in the refrigerator, the tougher the skin gets. So it may be a good idea for you to buy the squash the day you plan to cook it so it need not be refrigerated. Now, this may not be practical for many reason, and hence I'd suggest that you peel and cube the squash the day you buy it and then refrigerate it for future use.

I tried this recipe the first time about three months ago. In the past three months, I have made this soup numerous times and every time I've made it, it's been gulped down with a lot of enthusiasm.

Ingredients:

1. Squash - 500 gms
2. Onion (large) - 1 no
3. Tomato (large) - 1 no
4. Garlic - 5 flakes
5. Peppercorn - 20 nos
6. Oil/ Butter - as required
7. Water - 500 ml - 750 ml
8. Chicken stock cube - 1 no
9. Potato (medium) - 1 no (optional)

Method:

1. Roughly chop the garlic, cube the onion, tomato, squash and potato.
2. In a deep pan, heat oil, add peppercorns and garlic. Saute it for a minute or two, then add the onion. Let it fry till it turns light pink, add the tomato and potato. Let this mixture cook for about two to three minutes.
3. Add the squash. Add half a cup of water and let it cook till the vegetables are cooked and turn squishy. This should take about twenty minutes. You could also pressure cook for three whistles.
4. Cool the contents and pass through a blender, till it turns smooth and creamy.
5. Heat a sauce pan and add some oil or butter and empty the soup from the blender into the sauce pan, taking care not to spill. Stir in the chicken stock cube and water.
6. Let it come to a boil, check for consistency and taste for salt and pepper.
7. Your soup is ready.

Notes:

1. You may stir in half a tbsp of cream before serving for decorative purposes and to make the soup rich in flavor and texture, and not to mention calories.
2. Most kids like cheese, so you could grate some cheese, to make it more appealing to them. I stirred in half a tbsp of cheese spread before serving it. But both the above are optional.

Dal palak (Spinach in lentil soup)

Any mum's worst night-mare is to get their little ones and not so little ones to eat vegetables. I have had my fair share of struggle and all mums will vouch for this, it's no picnic. Getting enough and different vegetables into a child's diet is important and that everyone knows. However, I have realized making a simple bhaji, no matter how tasty, doesn't ensure that it will be consumed. I have tried everything from threats to black-mail, from cajoling to simply yelling in frustration. Nothing worked. The dinner table looked more like a war zone with neither party yielding for what seemed like an eternity. And then the battle ended only after I gave up. But after many failed attempts and might I add a lot of tears and frustration at both ends, I realized a very simple thing. I was being unreasonable and stupid, expecting a two year old to understand why vegetables were important in his diet. He didn't need to know that, he just had to consume them. And I didn't have to tell him that he was eating vegetables.

So I started making soups, and adding vegetables in pulao and curries. I had not made dal palak in a long time and when I saw these lovely greens recently I bought two packets. One bunch was kept aside for soup and the other one was kept for a side dish. I later figured that dal and rice goes easily down with my two year old, so why not add spinach and make it a nutrient packed meal. Thankfully he loved it, much to my relief and amazement.

This is a simple dal preparation. You may add any lentils available or as you wish. You could add more spices or ingredients and subtract any. As long as you add the lentils, spinach and aromatics its a winner.

Ingredients:

1. Toor dal (Split pigeon peas) - 1/2 cup
2. Yellow moong dal - 1/2 cup
3. Spinach - 3 to 4 cups packed
4. Garlic - 6 flakes
5. Ginger - 1 tbsp
6. Onion (medium) - 2 no
7. Tomatoes (medium) - 2 nos
8. Green chilly - 3 nos
9. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
10. Cumin (jeera) - 1/2 tsp
11. Asafoetida (hing) - 1/4 tsp
12. Salt - to taste
13. Oil - as required

Method:

1. Wash and soak the lentils for at least ten minutes before cooking. Pressure cook the lentils for three to four whistles and set aside. If not using a pressure cooker, cook till the lentils are cooked and are squish in texture.
2. Finely chop garlic, onions, tomatoes and chilly. Grate the ginger. Wash, drain and roughly chop spinach.
3. Heat a deep pan, add oil, add the cumin when the oil is hot, let it splutter for about a minute, then add the garlic, let it brown, add the onions, fry well till they turn brown.
4. Now add the grated ginger, chilly, turmeric, asafoetida and tomatoes.Mix the contents well, and let it cook till the tomatoes are done. This should take about three to five minutes.
5. When the oil starts to float over, add the cooked lentils, salt and 1/2 cup of water. Mix the lentil well, and check the consistency. Lastly add the spinach.
6. Once the lentils come to a boil, lower the flame to the lowest setting of your stove and let it cook for eight to ten minutes. 
7. Check for consistency and salt at this stage.

Lady finger (Okra) in onion and garlic

I am an advocate of hassle free cooking. I have borrowed this recipe from my sister Anita, who regularly shares her kitchen wisdom with me. I prefer the vegetable to be crunchy and not over-cooked, since I serve this as a side to either a meat preparation or with rice, curry and fried fish. However, she cooks it till the onions are caramelized and the vegetable is slightly browned, since she serves this vegetable with chappathi, mostly carried in the tiffin by her and the kids. Either way, its a time tested preparation and you can't go wrong on this.

Today's post is one of those recipes that can be literally cooked without much hassle and time. The prep time depends on how fast you can chop onions, garlic and okra. And that's it. Don't believe me.... read on.

Ingredients:

1. Lady finger (Okra) - 250 gms
2. Onion (large) - 1 no
3. Garlic (medium) - 3 flakes
4. Green Chilly - 1 no
5. Lime juice - 1 tsp / juice of half a lime (optional)
6. Oil - as required
7. Salt - to taste.

Method:

1. Roughly chop garlic, onions, and okra. Slit the green chilly.
2. Pour oil into a non-stick pan. When the oil is hot, reduce the flame to the lowest setting and add the garlic. Make a layer of onion on top of the garlic, and then make a layer of the okra on top of the onion.
3. Do not stir and cover with a lid.
4. Let it cook for about 7 - 8 minutes. Now add salt and lime juice, mix the contents of the pan. Let it cook for another five minutes or till the okra is cooked.
5. Alternatively you could also cook the vegetable till it starts to brown/ caramelize. The caramelization adds a nice touch to the vegetable.  And then take it off the stove.
6. This goes well as a side to any spicy meat preparation.

Notes:

You could make the same preparation by making a minor change. Replace garlic with half tsp of cumin (jeera). Turns out great too.

Simply Cabbage !

Cabbage is mostly eaten in salads or soups around the world, however in India cabbage is cooked so that it serves either as a side dish to go with curries mostly meats and fish or made into a sabzi spiced with chillies and mustard and eaten with roti (Indian whole wheat flat bread). Cabbage is not a favorite in my house, for that matter most vegetables aren't. But to ensure we have a wholesome meal I cook cabbage every once in a while. 

I make a simple preparation that is super easy to cook, and was taught to me by my mum. This preparation goes well with spicy curries as the cabbage does not particularly have a strong flavor and there aren't any spices that overpower the whole dish.  My mum never used coconut in cabbage , but I have, since everyone likes it in my home.  In fact the same ingredients and method can be applied to vegetables like French beans and chouli beans too. But for these two vegetables, you will need to add coconut. 

Ingredients:

1. Cabbage - 250 gms
2. Onion - 1 no, medium 
3. Tomato - 1 no, medium
4. Green chilly - 1 no
5. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
6. Salt - as required
7. Oil - as required

Coconut - 1/4 cup (optional)

Method:

1. Slice the cabbage, onion, tomato and green chilly finely. Wash the cabbage and drain.
2. In a pan, place the cabbage, onion, tomato and green chilly. Pour the oil on top. Add the salt and turmeric.
3. Place the pan on the gas stove, cover with a lid and cook on the lowest flame. 
4. Once the vegetable comes to a boil, mix the contents well. Once the cabbage is cooked, add the coconut, mix well. Let it cook for about three to five minutes. And it's ready to be taken off the flame.

Gherkins/ Ivy gourd/ Tendli

Vegetables are great for health, this is a universal truth. However, the wisdom held in that one sentence is often lost on most non-vegetarians. The story is no different at my home, specially with my husband. He is no fan of vegetables, except in exotic salads. It has been my mission to change that and in this quest I have been scouting for tasty and healthy vegetarian recipes. Can't say that I have been successful.....yet. But I am not giving up!

Gherkins or Ivy gourd is a nice crunchy vegetable and does not really have a powerful taste. The below recipe is quite simple and does not have too many ingredients. It can be made in a jiffy. This preparation goes well with hot chappatis or as a side dish with rice - curry, or dal - rice. Many people prefer when gherkins are crunchy and if you are one of them, adjust the cooking time accordingly. 

Ingredients:

1. Tendli (Gherkins/ Ivy gourd) - 1/4 kg
2. Tomato - 1 no (medium sized)
3. Kashmiri chilly powder - 1 tsp
4. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
5. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
6. Curry leaves - a few
7. Oil - as required
8. Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Slice gherkins and tomatoes length wise.
2. In a pan heat oil, add the mustard, let it splutter. Add the curry leaves, turmeric powder, tomatoes, and the chilly powder. Stir well.
3. Add the gherkins and lastly add salt.
4. Cook it on slow flame till gherkins are cooked. It should take about 10 - 15 mins. 
5. Check for salt, spice and crunchiness. Put off the flame. 
6. Gherkins are ready to be served.

Mutter Paneer and more

Paneer or cottage cheese is a common vegetable preparation in many north Indian homes. Paneer prices have sky-rocketed in the recent past, like the prices of many vegetables and other groceries. Hence, I cook paneer occasionally. I always made mutter paneer (Peas and paneer) as it's much easier to carry it for lunch at work, and goes so well with chappathis. The dish started out as mutter paneer, but by the time I was done there was a lot more in the pan than originally planned. Well you'll see :-) This dish is visually appealing and has so many vegetables packed in it, it's incredible.

Ingredients:

1. Paneer - 100 gms
2. Peas - 1/2 cup (shelled)
3. Potato - 1 no (small)
4. Capsicum - 1 no (small)
5. Baby corn - 1/2 cup
6. Carrots - 1/2 cup
7. Onions - 1 no (medium, finely chopped)
8. Tomatoes - 2 nos (medium, finely chopped)
9. Ginger Garlic paste - 1 and half tsp
10. Green Chilly - 1 no (chopped)
11. Chilly powder - 1 and half tsp
12. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
13. Curd - 2 tbsp
14. Besan - 1 tsp (optional)
15. Curry leaves - a few (optional)
16. Oil as required
17. Salt to taste

Preparation:

1. In a pan, add a little oil and lightly fry cubed paneer on a slow flame, till it gets a light brown coat. Keep aside.
2. In a bowl, beat the curd to a smooth consistency and add the beasan to this. You could also add a pinch of turmeric powder and keep aside.

Method:

1. Chop onions, tomatoes, chilly. Cube potatoes, carrots, capsicum and paneer. Cut the baby corn in line with other vegetables. 
2. In the same pan that you fried paneer, add some more oil, add the finely chopped onions, and curry leaves. Fry till the onions turn light brown.
3. Add the ginger garlic paste and chilly. Mix well, and let it fry for a minute or two. Then add the tomatoes. Add the chilly powder, turmeric,and salt. Stir well.
4. Cover with a lid and let it cook on a slow flame till it becomes nice and saucy and oil leaves the sides of the pan.
5. Add the green peas and potatoes.
6. You may need to add water. Do not add more that 1/2 a cup, and let it cook. 
7. Add the corn when the potatoes are half done.
8. Now add the paneer. Stir well. Add the curd and let it simmer for two mins.
9. And lastly add the capsicum. Stir all the veggies well and cover with a lid.
10. Now you may put off the flame.

Notes:

1. If you like extra sourness, you may squeeze a 1/2 a lime for that extra tang, but do so only after you've tasted the dish.
2. If using frozen peas, add them later to the pan, as frozen peas take lesser time to cook. You may add it when the potatoes are half done.
3. I do not really let the capsicum cook, as I like it raw and crunchy. If you want the capsicum cooked well, add it when the potatoes are half done.
4. It's best served hot with chappatis.

Tomato Saar

When I was growing up Tomato Saar was a common curry made on a school day. It was an easy and yummy way out for my mum. Mostly we'd have fried fish or a dry vegetable as an accompaniment or as they say in Konkani "Tawndaak launk". What with three young daughters and a house to take care of ! My mother had a lot going on. I think we are so blessed with all the modern gadgets that are easily accessible today. Most house chores need a click of a button to get done.

Well, Tomato saar is essentially tomato curry and is as easy to make as pushing the button on your washing machine. On days when your fed up of daal, or its to tiresome to make coconut or yogurt curry, tomato saar can rescue you.

Tomato saar goes well with steamed rice.

Ingredients:
Tomatoes - 3 medium
Kashmiri Chillies - 3 nos
(Make 4 slits at the bottom of the tomato and along with the kashmiri chillies place in boiling water for five minutes. Keep aside.)

Garlic - 4 cloves
Cumin/ Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds/ rai - 1/2 tsp
Onion - 1 medium

1. Grind all the ingredients mentioned above.

Tempering:
Oil - 2 tbsp
Onion - 1 small (finely chopped)
Curry leaves - a few
Long green chillies - 2 finely chopped (optional)

2. In a pan, pour oil, add the curry leaves, onions and chillies.
3. Then add the ground paste, salt and fry well. Add a glass of water. Let it simmer for a couple of mins
4. Adjust seasoning and consistency according to your taste.
5. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.

Typically tomato saar is watery, but if you'd like you can make it a little more thicker by adding less water.

Mixed veggies (Unusual combo)

Last evening I was rummaging through my refrigerator and saw that there were some vegetables that were begging to be cooked. I had never combined and cooked them before and I thought this was a great opportunity to experiment.

I love veggies so I was quite excited about this preparation, but secretly was worried it may not go down too well with my mum and husband. But as you may have guessed, it turned out quite yum and its so easy to make specially if your running late or simply feeling lazy......So here it goes.

Ingredients:

1. Cabbage : 1 bowl (finely sliced)
2. Green peas : 1/2 bowl (shelled)
3. Carrots - 1/2 bowl (cut in small cubes or roundelles)
4. Tomatoes - 1 no (medium sized, chopped)
5. Chillies - 1 no ( should not be the spicy variety)
6. Curry leaves - a few
7. Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
8. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
9. Oil - as required
10. Salt to taste

Method:

1. In a pan heat oil, add mustard seeds. Once they've stopped crackling add turmeric, then add the tomatoes.
2. Fry it well, add the green chilly and salt.
3. Add the peas, and cover with a lid. Let it cook till the peas are almost done. I let it cook for about ten mins since I was using frozen peas.
4. Now add the cabbage and carrots. Give it a nice stir.
5. Let it stay on the flame for about five mins. I like it when cabbage is crunchy. You could cook the cabbage a bit more if that's how you prefer it. 
6. Well the dish is ready to be served with hot chappatis.