Bell Peppers and Cucumber Raitha

 A refreshing and different raitha with bell peppers and cucumbers.  Serve with pulao or biriyani.

Ingredients :

1 cup finely chopped red, yellow and green bell peppers
1 cup finely chopped cucumber
4 cups curds/dahi
Salt to taste

for the tadka :

1 teaspoon oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
a few curry leaves

Method:

Mix the curds, bell peppers, cucumbers and salt. Keep aside.

Heat oil and add the mustard seeds. When they start spluttering, add the curry leaves and switch off the gas.

Add this to the curd mixture.

Serve raitha with any pulao or rice dish.

Broccoli Orange Salad

Here's a healthy way to start the summer - a crunchy salad loaded with antioxidants. The citrus elements in the salad give it a very refreshing taste. Enjoy health and taste in a bowl ;).

Ingredients :

1/2 cup broccoli florets (blanched)
1/2 cup baby corn (blanched)
1/2 cup red, yellow and green bell peppers,
1 cup orange segments 

for the dressing:

1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon crushed pepper
1 teaspoon honey
salt to taste


Method:

Mix the ingredients for the dressing and keep aside. 

Cook the broccoli and baby corn. Put it in cold water to stop the cooking process and make sure it is not overcooked.

Mix all the ingredients and serve.

Dhingri Mutter Pulao

Dhingri Mutter Pulao or Mushroom Peas Pulao is something you can rustle up easily if you have mushroom and peas at home. The mild flavours in this pulao is sure to appeal to the young and old.

Ingredients :

2 cups Basmati rice (cook rice as per the method given in this link)
2 cloves
1 bay leaf
2 cardamom pods
a small piece of cinnamon
1 teaspoon oil
1 cup finely chopped mushrooms (clean mushrooms as given in this link)
1/2 cup green peas (boiled)
1 cup of finely chopped onions
1 tablespoon kasuri methi
1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
1 green chilli sliced vertically


Method :

Heat oil and add bayleaf, cloves and cardamom. Saute till a nice aroma comes.

Add onions and sauté till translucent. To this add the mushrooms, salt, kasuri methi and sauté till the water from the mushrooms are dry.

Add rice, peas and mix thoroughly. 

Serve with raitha or any gravy of your choice.

Vengaya Vatha Kozhambu

Vatha Kuzhambu is actually referred to as Vatral/Vatthal Kuzhambu which is made of Vatral/Vatthal(dried vegetables). It also tastes very good with shallots/sambar onions. The original flavour comes from the sesame oil (nalla ennai) and shallots. This can be served with steamed rice and papads, curd rice, dal rice, idlis and dosas.

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds

2 dried Guntur red chillies (round variety)

a pinch of asafoetida

10-12 curry leaves

1 cup shallots or sambar onions

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 lemon sized tamarind - juice extracted

2 to 3 teaspoons readymade sambar powder

1 teaspoon jaggery powder

Salt to taste

Method:

Heat oil in a deep pan and add mustard seeds, red chillies and methi seeds. 

When the mustard seeds start spluttering add curry leaves, asafoetida and shallots.

When the shallots are lightly browned, add the tamarind extract, sambar powder, turmeric powder, jaggery and salt. 

Bring this to a boil and simmer till it thickens and reduces to thick consistency.

Note : 

1) I use Shakti masala sambar powder.
2) I did not have stock of guntur chillies, so I have used the long variety.