Beans Curry with Chana Dal

This recipe I tasted at our friend's place, Shoj and I liked it very much. They told that it is made in Rayalseema, a place in Andhra Pradesh and named it as Rayalseema beans curry. Whatever the name is, we liked the this recipe and so thought of trying it and it came out good, so thought of sharing you all.

Ingredients:

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1 lb beans chopped

1/2 cup Chana Dal soaked in water for about 3-4 hours

1 Onion chopped

2 Tomatoes chopped

2 pods of garlic chopped

2 tbsp Sambar powder or any sambar chili masala

1 tsp Mustard seeds

1/4 tsp Asafoetida

1 sprig Curry leaves

1-2 Dry Red Chilies

Salt to taste
1 tsp Oil


Method:
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Note: you can prepare this recipe in a pressure cooker or in a regular pan. I prefer preparing this in a pressure cooker, as it takes longer time to cook in pan and make sure it does not overcook.
1. In a pressure pan, add oil and when it's hot add mustard seeds, when they start to sputter, add asafoetida, curry leaves, dry red chilies and garlic.
2. Add the onions and saute it until it turns transparent.
3. Now add the tomatoes and sambar powder and cook until the tomatoes are soft and the raw masala smell is gone.
4. Now add the chana dal, beans, salt and enough water just until the beans and dal are covered.
5. Close the lid with the whistle and pressure cook it for a 1 or 2 whistles.
6. Off the flame and let the pressure release and come to a room temperature, open the cooker and check the gravy, if it is too watery then with open lid cook on medium high flame for more 5 mins or else you can serve this hot with steamed rice or roti.

Egg Burji

This recipe is my all time favorite and very easy dish to make whenever you like to cook too much. This recipe can be combined with rasam rice or roti or even make taco's just by adding some fresh salad and cheese.

Ingredients:

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3 Eggs

1 Onion chopped

2 Tomatoes chopped

1/4 tsp Ginger-garlic paste

1/2 tsp Chili powder

1 tsp Black pepper powder

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

1 tsp Oil

Method:

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1. In a pan add oil and when it's hot add ginger-garlic paste and saute it until the ginger-garlic paste turns slight brown.

2. Now add the onions and let it cook until it turns translucent and still little crunchy.

3. Add the tomatoes, chili powder, turmeric powder and salt, cover and cook until the tomatoes are cooked and soft.

4. Now reduce the flame to medium low and break the eggs and mix it well.

5. Increase the flame to medium high and keep stirring so that the egg break to a burji  consistency and well coated with masala.

6. Just before the eggs are fully cooked add the pepper powder, mix well and off the flame and serve hot with rice, roti or make egg taco's.

Chili Quinoa Idli

This recipe is the best ever made from the leftover Idli's. In my previous recipe I made Idli Rava Idli (Click on the link to view the recipe for Idli Rava Idli). I had some left over idli batter which I thought of using it as a base for a new recipe and to keep it healthy as well, so I added quinoa to it. Quinoa does not need to be soaked, but can be cooked like upma rava. Using quinoa is perfectly optional or you can use any leftover idli batter for that matter or even leftover idli's.

Ingredients:

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2 cups Idli batter

3/4 cup Quinoa washed and soaked for just 20 mins in 3/4 cup water.

2-3 Green Chilies

1 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste

1/2 cup Green Peas ( I used frozen)

1 bunch Green Onions chopped (keep the white part and the green part separated)

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1/4 tsp Asafoetida

1/4 tsp Cumin seeds

1 tbsp Oil

1 tbsp Lemon juice

Method:

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1. Mix the quinoa, salt with the idli batter. 

2. Prepare idli's either in a pressure cooker or idli cooker, add water to the bottom of the cooker, grease the idli plates and add the batter and steam it with lid closed for about 15 mins.

3. Remove idli's to a plate, let it cool and cube it to bite size pieces and keep it aside.

4. In a pan add oil,when it's hot add mustard seeds, cumin, asafoetida and green chilies, stir it for about 15 secs, then add ginger garlic paste and wait until it turns slight brown.

5. Now add the white part of the green onions, peas, turmeric powder and salt and saute it for a min.

6. Now add the cubed idli's and mix well, (you can add also some red food color or tandoori masala for extra taste and color - optional)

7. Now add salt if needed, cook it for about 2-3 mins on medium low flame and keep stirring and make sure you don't over mix and break the idli's.

8. Off the flame and add lemon juice and mix well again.

9. Transfer it to a serving plate and garnish with the green part of the green onion.