CAPSICUM IN PEANUT GRAVY

This is one of my favourite dish and this yummy gravy goes well with ghee rice, biryani, Pulao , steamed rice and even roti. Usually prepared with brinjal as a side dish for biryani or ghee rice but I've used capsicum here. It's a tasty dish with roasted peanuts, sesame and has a tangy flavour. A good accompaniment for plain rice or other rice preparations. 

INGREDIENTS

Capsicum - 1 big chopped into big square pieces

Onion - 3

Tomatoes - 3

Tamarind pulp - 3 tbsp

Coconut - 2 tbsp grated

Roasted peanuts - 5 tbsp

White sesame seeds - 4 tbsp

Chili pwd  - 2 tbsp

Coriander pwd - 1 tbsp

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Pepper corns - 5

Green chilli - 1

Gingelly oil

Salt

METHOD

Heat 2 tbsp of gingely  oil and when hot sauté the capsicum in high heat stirring to avoid burning it. When the pieces start turning brown remove off the heat and keep aside. This will take 3-4 mins. 
Grind- onion, tomato, coconut, chili pwd, coriander pwd, turmeric adding little water and keep aside. Roast peanuts and sesame and grind separately without adding water. In a pan add 5-7 tbsp oil, (preferably sesame oil/ gingelly oil) when hot add pepper, ginger garlic paste, green chilli and sauté till raw smell goes then pour the onion masala paste. Add 2 cups of water. When they boil add the ground sesame and peanuts. Add salt, tamarind pulp and additional 1 cup of hot water. Close lid and cook for 25 mins in low heat, stirring when necessary.
When oil starts separating and the raw smell of the masala goes add sautéed capsicum and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and serve hot with ghee rice, biryani or Pulao. 

LITTLE MILLET AND BARNYARD MILLET SAMBHAR SADAM/ MIXED MILLET SAMBHAR RICE

Millets - these small grain plants are primarily produced in India, who cultivates over 8 million tons every year, followed by a number of larger African countries and China. Millet is gluten-free, so Celiac sufferers can turn to millet as their source of grains, instead of wheat. There are myriad health benefits of millets. Regular consumption of millets is beneficial to health.  

Millet is  rich in fibre and the breakdown of glucose is slower.  It benefits people suffering from respiratory ailment, digestive disorders and high cholesterol. They reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes because millets are rich in magnesium, which regulates secretion of glucose and insulin. 

Now, there's enough reason to include millets in our daily diet. This sambhar rice, prepared with barnyard millet and little millet is not only healthy but tasty and pretty simple to prepare. A good option for packed lunch too. Enjoy this healthy tasty one pot sambahar sadam with Yam fry, Potato fry, Carrot and roasted peanut raitha or Chena kilangu roast. 

Once you start cooking with millets, you'll never want to go back to eating rice. In this recipe, I've added 2 types of millet and 2 types of dhal along with vegetables, which makes it a healthy one pot meal. I've used barnyard millet and little millet, please feel free to use any millet with any combination or just one millet. The same applies to dhal, I prefer mixing 2 dhals in all that i cook. You may use only toor dhal or only moong dhal too.

 

INGREDIENTS

Barnyard millet - 1/2 cup
Little millet - 1/2 cup
Toor dhal - 3 tbsp
Moong dhal - 2 tbsp
Onion - 2 sliced
Tomatoes - 2 chopped

Beans - 10 nos chopped into 2 inch pieces

Carrots - 1 chopped into 2 inch pieces

Potato - 1 cut into cubes

Peas - 1/4 cup

Tamarind pulp - 3 tbsp

Turmeric pwd - 1 tsp

Sambhar pwd - 3 tbsp

Coriander pwd - 2 tbsp

Water - 5 cups

Green chili - 2 

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - 6

Salt to taste

Finely chopped coriander for garnish
Cashews fried in ghee or oil - 10 

METHOD

Wash and soak rice and dhal for about 30 mins. In a cooker, add 4 tbsp of oil, when hot add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida, fenugreek, curry leaves and green chilies. Don't slit the chilies, chop the ends and add. Then add all the curry powders, fry for a minute. Add sliced onions, tomatoes and sauté well for 3 minutes. Add the vegetables, sauté and add tamarind pulp, rice dhal mix, salt, 5 cups of water. Check for salt and spice level. Let it boil now close the cooker and reduce the flame to low. Cook for 25 mins and open once the pressure releases. Garnish with cashews and coriander. Enjoy millet sambhar sadam with appalam/ papad. 

DHAL PALAK

A simple humble dish but a comfort food for me. Dhal Palak goes well with plain rice, ghee rice, pulao and roti. 

INGREDIENTS

Toor Dhal - 1/2 cup

Palak - a small bunch

Onion - 2 finely chopped

Tomatoes - 2 finely chopped
Ginger - 1/2 tbsp shredded
Garlic - 4 pods chopped
Chilli pwd - 1/2 tbsp
Turmeric pwd - 1/2 tsp
Green chilli - 1
Kalonji/ nigella seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Butter/oil - 3 tbsp
Coriander - chopped finely for garnish
Salt

METHOD

Wash and soak dhal in water for 30 mins. Pressure cook with salt, turmeric, a drop of oil and 2 cups water for 7 whistles on high and switch off heat. Let it release on its own. Clean and wash palak. Chop finely.

In a pan heat oil, when hot add cumin, slit green chilli, garlic and ginger. Add nigella seeds, onion and sauté till they turn golden brown. Add tomatoes, chopped palak and chilli pwd. Sauté till it becomes mushy. Now add the cooked dhal, required water and bring to boil. Check for salt and switch off heat. Garnish with coriander.