Vegetable Jalfrezi

Jalfrezi is Indian version of Chinese stir-fry made with marinated vegetables and curry spices. For Jalfrezi, the vegetables must be dense, neither starchy nor watery. Potatoes and Peas are starchy, Spinach is watery. It is cooked with green chillies, with the result that a jalfrezi can range in heat from a medium dish to a very hot one. (source: Wikipedia)

Vegetables that are blanched can be used. Vegetables that need to be blanched are Cauliflower, String beans, Carrots, Broccoli. To blanch vegetables, bring water to a boil add vegetables, cook for 10- 12 minutes, drain immediately and pour cold water over the vegetables to stop further cooking.

4 - 5 Zucchini's
2 Green Peppers (or any colour peppers)
2 Carrots
2 Jalapenos
3 Onions
4 Garlic Pods
1" Ginger
Handful Cherry Tomatoes
Coriander
Lemon juice

Cut vegetables in thin long stripes and marinate in 2 tsp of oil with salt and pepper. Slit or cut cheery tomatoes in half, cut jalapenos into think long stripes and remove seeds to reduce heat. Grate garlic and ginger.

Take 2 tsp of oil in a wok/skillet add 1/4 tsp jeera and saute' onions and jalapeno stripes till they caramelize. Then add grated ginger and garlic. Fry for a few minutes and then add the marinated vegetables, salt and fry in medium heat for 5 - 6 minutes. Then add tomatoes on the top.

In a bowl mix 1/2 tsp cumin-coriander, 1/2 tsp amchur, 1/2 tsp red chili powder, 1/2 tsp garam masala, a pinch of turmeric and add a tsp of besam, mix well and add to the skillet. Fry for a few minutes remove from flame add lemon juice and chopped coriander.

This is spicy vegetable dish that can be eaten with rice or rotti.

Instant Rava Dosa

This is an ideal item for those days when we have to question ourselves "What's for lunch/dinner?". An instant dosa that can be mixed up using regular flours and that needs no fermentation. A dosa carving that can be fulfilled Instantly! So, measure up the flours and get ready to use your hands - a trick that works with this dosa!

1 cup Rice flour
1 cup Bombay rava - Sooji
1/2 cup All purpose flour - Maida
1/2 tsp Pepper powder
1 tsp jeera
5 -6 Green Chilies
1" Ginger
Few Curry Leaves

Chop green chilies and ginger into small pieces. Cut curry leaves also into small pieces. Roughly ground pepper or whole pepper corns can also be used according to preference.

Mix all the above things in a vessel and add salt. Using your hand squeeze the essence of the ginger and chilies and add water liberally, mix the batter till the consistency of light butter milk is reached. Batter is ready to be made into dosa's, no fermentation is required.

Ideal to use a dosa/pancake griddle. Dosa pan also be used, clear the stove top of all other items and heat a dosa pan.

Using your hand, take handfuls and sprinkle on a hot skillet gently, filling the whole pan, cover holes lightly. Pour 2 tsp of oil or ghee around the dosa and in the middle and leave for a couple of minutes to roast. There would be no need to turn the dosa on the other side.

I would like to share a trick my sister told me years ago with dosa's and pan's. Use a wet paper towel to wipe the pan real clean after removing each dosa before the next one. Don't have to grease the pan before pouring the batter, add a tsp of oil after it has settled on the pan. It has worked for me all these years, see if it works for you.

Imagine dosa in 3 parts, fold the first and 3rd part on to the middle part and remove from the pan.

If you feel the dosa has come a little thick, add some more water and try again.

This dosa does not need a side dish. Fresh curd with salt, lemon juice and coriander would be a good side dish.

Pesarattu Masala Kura

Authentic to Andhra cooking, pesarattu masala kura has a very unique taste. This is my mother-in-law's recipe, and without a doubt, one of my husband's favourite! It might be frightening to follow a lengthy procedure and on top of it pesarattu itself can be eaten as is with rice. So, why bother? But, making peasrattu for this is easier as they should be made thick without worrying about the shape and very easy to saute'. Why not try it next time when you have some leftover pesarattu?

For Pesarattu
2 cups Whole Green Moong dal - Pesallu
Hand full Raw Rice
4 Green Chilies
1" Ginger
1 tsp jeera

Mix and soak dal and rice over night. Grind along with chilies, ginger and jeera to a nice batter using water and salt as required.

This batter does not need fermenting and is ready to be made into pesarattu after grinding.

Grease a dosa pan with oil and pour the batter in circles spreading evenly and thick (thicker than a regular pesarattu) with the ladle.

Add a tsp of oil so that it can be removed easily from the pan. Turn it the other side and let roast.

Remove and stack on a plate. Let cool and cut into diamonds with a sharp knife and set aside.

For the Saute'
4 Onions
Hand full cherry Tomatoes - Optional
2 tsp Ginger-garlic paste
2 tsp Garam masala
Coriander

Take 4 tsp oil in a skillet and saute onions. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry for a few minutes. Then add some salt and garam masala. (I used home made garam masala, please refer to Garam masala in pickles and powders)

Now add cut pesarattu pieces, chopped coriander, cherry tomatoes and mix well. Fry for a few minutes and remove from flame.

This is a good side dish with white rice or jeera rice.