French Beans in Coconut Masala

Simple French Beans in Spicy Coconut Masala

All you need :

1. French Beans 500 gms
2. Oil 2 Tbsp
3. Garlic 3-4 Cloves (Paste)
4. Jeera 1 Tsp
5. Haldi 1/2 tsp
6. Red chilli powder 2 tsp
7. Jaggery 1 Tbsp
8. Grated Coconut 1 Tbsp
9. Salt to taste
10. Coriander for garnish

Method :

1. Heat oil, add Jeera, Haldi Garlic paste and red chilli powder and immediately add french beans chopped finely.
2. Season with Salt. Cooked covered for 10 mins. Add grated jaggery cook for another 2-3 mins.
3. Drizzle over grated fresh coconut and garnish with Coriander. Serve hot with soft chapati

Roasted Vegetables

Quite,Comforting and a laid back Monday evening. Mum decides to make something different other than chapati-bhaji. I put my thinking cap on and decide to make something light and delicious. So here it is Roasted Vegetables.
All you need

2 Medium Sized Turnips. ( cut into fingers and boiled in salted water)
2 Carrots boiled
1 cup of French Beans
1 cup Cauli ( cut into florets)

For the dressing :

1 Tbsp Olive oil
2 cloves of Garlic
1 tsp red chilli flakes
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1/2 tsp mixed Italian herbs
Salt and sugar to taste.

Method :

1. Cut the vegetables in desired sizes. Boil the turnips, carrots and Beans ONLY. Pre-heat the oven at 180˚c for 15 mins
2. Drain the vegetables and let them cool down completely. Meanwhile in a mortar and pestle pound Garlic, chilli flakes, cumin powder, mixed Italian Herbs, salt and sugar and drizzle in olive oil.
3. In a Oven Pan, drizzle some more oil to grease the pan, spread all the boiled vegetables and the Cauli and mix in the dressing. Give it a good mix. Use hands for best results.
4. Roast these veggies in the oven for 35 mins or until they turn nice and golden brown.

Serve Hot.!!

Potato Bhaji

When I was a kid, I used to travel to Mangalore with family and our bus used to stop at kamat restaurants for Breakfast. And the only dish i used eat everytime was Poori Bhaji. Simple deep fried pooris eaten with simple mashed Potato bhaji. A very simple affair but very filling and delicious.

All you need :

4-5 boiled and mashed Potatoes.
Oil 2 Tbsp
Jeera 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Haldi 1 tsp
Methi Powder 1/2 tsp
Hing 1/2 tsp
White Urad dal 1 tsp
Curry leaves 1 tsp
Green Chilli 2-3 finely chopped
Onion 1 cup finely chopped
Salt and sugar to taste
Coriander for garnish.
Water: 4 Tbsp

Method :

In a veesel, heat oil, add jeera and mustard seeds. Let it splutter. Then add urad dal and curry leaves and green chilli. As the the urad dal roasts, add half of the chopped Onion and then add Haldi, Hing and methi powder, mix well and then add the rest of the onions.
Cook till the onion turns soft and translucent. Now add the mashed potatoes and mix well. If there are any big chunks of potatoes, mash it with the back of your spoon.
Add little water to bring everything together. Season with salt and sugar. Cook for 5 mins.
Serve hot with Garam Pooris or even Dosa.

Hassel Back Potatoes

A Stockholm specialty, Sweden's take on Baked Potato. Simple and delicious and you can play with the flavours. And looks pretty too.
All you need :

Ingredients :
( for 1 person)
Oblong Potato.
2-3 cloves of garlic.
2 Tbsp oil/ Olive oil.
Thyme 1 tsp.
Chilli flakes : 1 tsp.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Parsley : 1Tbsp
Cheese : as per required (cheddar is great option)

Method:

1. First preheat the oven at 200˚ C . Wash the potato. Keep the skin on to get a crisp covering.
2. Take chopsticks, keep the potato over the chopsticks and start cutting slices till your knife tohches the stick, this will help in maintaining uniformity. Keep an inch gap between two slices.
3. Once the potato has been cut, keep it in cold water. In another bowl, take oil, garlic, chilli flakes, parsley, thyme , salt and pepper. Pound everything using a mortar and pestle. Take the potato out of the water. Dab it with a kitchen towel.
4. Apply the flavoured oil all over the potato. Make sure you don't miss to apply between 2 slices.
5. Top the potato with some cheese, drizzle some oil and bake. It should take around 40 mins to bake completely. Lower the heat to half at 25 mins.
6. There you go, Sweden's Hassel Back Potatoes ready to serve.

**Look for the pictorial description of cutting the potatoes**