Bottle Gourd subzi with Fresh Tomato.

I cook bottle gourd (Dudhi/Lauki/Opu) in two ways Stir-Fry and Curry form . This Simple stir-fry is cooked with slight variation. I used lots of Fresh Tomatoes.It resulted in very tasty healthy bowlful of Dudhi Sabzi.

Ingredients:-

1. One medium size Bottle Gourd (8-10 inch long) duly cut into half inch cubes and boiled in microwave for 10 minutes.
2. Three Extra large Fresh Tomatoes ( If you are using roma tomatoes then take 8-10) Dice them.
3. One medium size onion duly chopped.
4. Two green chillies.
5. 2 inch piece of ginger. ( Crush it fine)
6. 4 strands of Fresh curry leaf.
7. One tsp. mustard seeds
8. Two tb.spoon cooking oil.
9. Half tsp. Turmeric powder
10. Salt.
11. Fresh chopped cilantro leaves.
    

Cooking Method:-

1. Take a Big size thick gauge pot. Add 2 tb.spoon oil and let it heat. Throw in 1 tsp mustard seed..wait till they start to splatter.
2. Add cut onions and stir it for 5 minutes on high heat.
3. Add crushed ginger and cut green chilli.Stir for one minute.
4. Add Tomatoes and let it cook on medium high heat for 8 -10 minutes.Let all tomatoes get rightly softened.
5. Add boiled Dudhi pieces. Stir it on high heat for 3-4 minutes.Add curry leaves and salt and turmeric.
6. Cook till all excess water evaporates and it turns into dry stir-fry.Lastly garnish with fresh chopped cilantro leaves.
   

You can't resist this simple delicious Dudhi subzi.

Hot Chicken Curry with Just ONE Serrano Pepper

This is Extra-Hot chicken curry with few easy cooking steps...Use of just ONE Serrano pepper and few Indian spices make this curry extra zesty and spicy.

Ingredients:-

1. 1.5 pounds of boneless and skinless chicken cut into one inch squares.(that is two full size chicken breasts)
2. 8 cloves of Garlic.
3. 1 inch piece of Ginger.
4. 1 extra large onion.
5. 2 stems of fresh curryleaf.
6. Cilantro.
7. 4 table spoon cooking oil.
8. One fully grown Serrano pepper.
   

Spices Required:-

1. 2 Tea-spoon Cumin seeds.
2. 12 cloves.
3. 2 small size bay leaf.
4. 2 inch cinnamon stick.
   
   Finely powder above spices. (Use coffee grinder or desi mixer for best result)
   

Preparation Method:-

1. Use bigger and thick gauge non-stick pot. Add 4 Table-spoon cooking oil. Add one extra-large size cut onion.Fry for 4 minutes on high heat.
2. Reduce flames for medium low. 8 Big size of Garlic cloves , One inch piece of ginger and One Serrano pepper crush to fine paste and add to Onion. Fry for two minutes.
3. Add powdered spices and fry for one minute.
4. Add cut chicken pieces and fry for 2 minutes. Let all chicken pieces get coated with Masala.Add Salt.
5. Add half cup of water and close the lid. Let it cook for 6 minutes on Medium-high heat.
6. Remove the lid and increase the flames to High-Heat.
7. Add two stems of curry leaf and handfull of cut cilantro. Keep stiring till all the liquid gravy evaporates. Shut off gas when nice shiny thick gravy froms around Chicken pieces..... Your HOT Chicken curry using just one Serrano pepper is ready...
   
   NOTE:- You may replace serrano with Habanero. Also use whole chicken instead skinless boneless breasts ...but give smaller cuts to pieces and increase cooking time at step 5. One Single serrano peppar will give very strong heat but just see you choose righly grown pepper.
   

Cauliflower Mix Subjee

Cauliflower is one of the easiest vegetable to cook. I cook cauliflower with combination of other veggies. I follow simple recipe and result is absolutely enriching.

Ingredients:-

1. 1 tb.spoon cooking oil.
2. Medium size cut onion.
3. 7-8 cloves of garlic.(crush fine)
4. 1 inch piece of ginger. (crush fine)
5. 4 strands of curry leaves.
6. 4 green chillies.
7. Medium size Fresh Cauliflower.(make small florets)
8. 1 cup lima beans.(frozen)
9. 1 cup carrot cut into small cubes.
10. 1 cup green peas.
11. 1 cup chopped cilantro.
12. Salt and turmeric powder.
    
    

Cooking Method:-

1. Take big size pot and add 1 tb.spoon cooking oil. As it heats add cut onions...Fry it for 5 minutes on high heat..keep stiring.
2. Now add crushed garlic and ginger. Stir for 2 minutes.
3. Add one strand of curry leaf.
4. Add cut green chillies.
5. Add cut cauliflower and carrots. Add two cups water. Add salt and turmeric. Close the lid and let it cook for 8 minutes on high heat.
6. Open the lid and check the water level. by now cauliflower will turn tender.You may have to add half cup of water based on dryness in the pot. Also add lima beans (frozen)and half cup of green peas.Now add leaves from another two strands of curry leaves. Close the lid and let it cook for another 5 minutes on medium heat.
7. Now add remaining green peas and curry leaf and little cilantro. Stir well.Close the lid. Lower heat to low and let stand on stove for another 5 minutes.
8. Lastly garnish with remaining cilantro and enjoy with Roti or rice.
   

Soothing Flower Arrangement........

Simple arrangement of few flowers and plants in a corner of home enhances get up of room...tickles your soul and spirits...I love to place such arrangement regularly...Enjoy..and Smile.

Fall Special Flower Arrangement

Healthy Stir-Fry with Beetroot greens /Dill and Spinach.

I love to cook with Greens.Mix and Matching greens always enhances taste and nutrition.Today I had little fresh dill and Beetroot leaves and some frozen chopped spinach in refrigerator so I used all of it and made this wonderful Stir-Fry.

Ingredients

1. Small bunch of Fresh Dill.
2. 15-20 Beetroot leaves.
3. One Small packet of chopped spinach( you may used fresh too)
4. One medium size onion duly cut.
5. 8-10 cloves of Garlic.
6. 3-4 Green chillies.
7. 1 Tb.Spoon cooking oil.
   
   

Cooking Method

1. Wash and drain Beetroot leaves/Dill.
2. Chop them fine with knife or you may use food processor.
3. Heat 1 Tb.Spoon oil in thick gauge big pot.Add cut onions. Stir for 4-5 minutes.
4. Add cut Garlic and stir for one minute. Add cut green chillies.
5. Add cut Dill and Beetroot greens. Keep heat level to medium and keep stiring and let it cook for 5 minutes.
6. Microwave chopped frozen spinach for 3 minutes and add to the pot.Mix all with spoon.Add salt.
7. Let it cook for 6-7 minutes. Do not keep lid while cooking but occasionally keep stiring.
8. Once all the excess water dries out switch off the gas. Wonderful stir-fry is ready. Eat with Rice or Roti.