Baigan Bartha / Baigan Bharta

Its a eggplant cooked in Indian style, with spices. This curry is one of my fav. Ind recent days i started to love the eggplant recipes and tried different styles, which suits my taste. I am posting this recipe specially for Kavya, who asked me for eggplant curry recipes. So i will start with bigan bartha recipe, and soon will post as many as possible. Well.....i have already made you wait for long , by not posting new recipes all these day, its all becuase i was so tried from my Indian trip and took pretty much time to get on my daily routine. So, by no more wasting time , i would directly go for the recipe. And here is the recipe just for you........

Ingredients :

Eggplant - ( Medium size ) 2 numbers
Cumin seeds : 1 tsp
Garlic - 10 crushed
Ginger and garlic paste : 1 tsp
Big onions - 1 chopped finely
Tomatoes - 2 ( Chopped)
Chilly Powder - 1 and 1/2 tsp
Salt - To taste
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil - To fry
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Grren peas - ( Handful ) ( Frozen) ( If using fresh, need to soak it and pressure cooker it before using in the recipe)

Preparation :

* Take the eggplant and wash it. Wipe it with the tissue papper. Npw apply oil all over it generously.

* Preheat the oven, and set the oven temperature for 250 c and cook the eggplant for 20 - 25 mins. ( Until it is cooked well)

* Now peel the eggplant skin, and chop it into pieces. ( Make sure it is cooked well..)

* Now take a pan, add oil, and add the cumin seeds.

* Then add the crushed garlic, and fry till it changes the colour.

* Then add the chopped onions. and fry till golden brown.

* Now add the chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt to it. ( Fry for few moins for the raw smell to disappear)

* Now add the chopped tomatoes and fry for few mins. ( Close the lid and cook for few mins , until the tomatoes get cooked and become soft.)

* Finally add the cooked and chopped eggplant and mix well.

* Check for the taste and also make sure the eggplant is cooked, if not you could now close the lid and cook for some more time..

* Finally add the garam masala and the green peas and cook for 5 mins.

Hmmmmm.......the yummy and spicy baigan bharta is ready. Serve hot with plain rice, chapathi, naan or roti.


Click here for the printable version fo this recipe

Nethili Fish Fry

Nethili ( commersons Anchovy - in English) fish is one of the most tasty fish variety. I always perfer to go for the smaller size. When cooked they really taste like heaven. This fish fry goes very well with plainrice with onion Sambar or few perfer to have it with curd rice. This is a spicy recipe.
So here is the recipe just for you.....

Ingedients :

Nethili fish - 500 grms ( Washed and cleaned)

Red Chilly powder - 2 tsp ( If you prefer bit more spicy or less , then you can add more or less chilly powder accordingly)

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt - To taste.

Corn flour - 3 tsp

Rice Flour - 2 tsp

Thick Yogurt - 5 tsp

food colouring powder - orange ( 2 pinch)

Lemon juice - 2 - 3 drops

Curry Leaves ( Optional) - Hand full ( washed and cleaned)

Oil - To fry

Preparation :

* Take the nethili fish and wash well.

* Now add the above mentioned ingredients and mix well by adding little bit of water.

* Make sure you mix well, and the add the fish to the masala and mix well, making sure that the fish is generously applied with the masala.

* Now keep it in the fridge for 1/2 hr to 1 hr. ( The more time you keep, the more taste you get)

* Then take a pan add oil and heat it.

* Now add the nethili fish one by one and fry it.

* Wow , the yummy and spicy nethili fish fry is ready. Now you can fry the curry leaves and garnish it. Serve hot.

Click here for the printable version of this recipe

Today i have recieved three beautiful award ( (i) I love your blog award, (ii) Kreative blog award, ( iii) One lovely blog award)from my friend Aysha. She has also tagged me. Thanks Aysha for passing such a wonderful award to me.

1. What is your current obsession?

Blogging

2. What are you wearing today?

Skirt and tops

3. What’s for dinner?

Chicken soup, Chicken biryani, deep fried chicken and boiled egg, with raita

4. What’s the last thing you bought?

Handbag

5. What are you listening to right now?

Just the keyboard noise.

6. What do you think about the person who tagged you?

She's a wonderful person.

7. If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you like it to be?

A beautiful country side in UK.

8. What are your must-have pieces for summer?

Sun cream

9. If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?

Canada

10. Which language do you want to learn?

French

11. Who do you want to meet right now?

My Hubby

12. What is your favourite colour?

Peach

13. What is your favourite piece of clothing in your own closet?

3/4th pants

14. What is your dream job?

To become a famous Graphics designer

15. What’s your favourite magazine?

Womens Era

16. If you had $100 now, what would you spend it on?

Shoes or Handbags

17. What do you consider a fashion faux pas

Designer sarees

18. Who are your style icons?

None.

19. Describe your personal style?

Elegant and stylish

20. What are you going to do after this?

Sleep ( its 1.30 pm here....)

21. What are your favourite movies?

Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, Autograph, Gajini, Home alone

22. What inspires you?

Compliments:)

23. Give us three styling tips that always work for you:

Always keep Simple and Elegant,Carry branded handbags. Wear clean and matching shoes .

24. Coffee or tea?

Coffee Please.

25. What do you do when you are feeling low or terribly depressed?

Listen to music and think about all the good things that has happened to me.

26. Which month is your birthday?

March 28.

27.Which other blogs you love visiting?

I Love all the blogs.

28. Favorite Food?

Spicy Chicken Briyani
29. Favorite Season?

Snowing winter

30.One thing you love about yourself?

Determination and hardwork.

31.Favorite Quotes ?

" To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong ". - Joseph Chilton Pearce

The rules are:Respond and rework – answer the questions on your own blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your own invention, and add one more question of your own. Then tag eight or ten other people.I would like to share this awards and tag with my following friends...

Pam , Nichelle and Rachel, Aruna, Akal , Brown eyed baker

Pavithra, Angie's, dietpunit

Chicken Bharta

Hi friends, Here i am with a tasty recipe called " Chicken Bharta". This is a recipe where dices of chicken been cooked in onion and tomato masala. This is one of my most fav recipe. And here is the recipe just for you.....

Ingredients :

Chicken - 1/2 kg ( Skinless and boneless) ( Chopped into tiny pieces)
Big Onion - 3 ( Chopped finely)
Ginger - small piece ( Chopped Finely)
Garlic - 3 - 5 ( Chopped Finely)
Tomatoes - 3 ( Chopped Finely)
Dry red chilly - 2 ( chopped)
Chilly powder - 1/4 tsp
Green chilly - 2 ( Need not to be chopped, just take off the stem and add it)
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Green capsicum - 1/2 ( Chopped into small cubes)
Oil - 5 - 6 tsp
Dry Fenugreek Leaves ( Kasoori methi) - 2 tsp
Lemon juice - 1 tsp

Preparation :

* Cut the boneless chicken into very tiny pieces.
* Now take a pan, add oil, and add the chopped onions, garlic and ginger and fry till the raw well for 5 - 8 mins.* Then add the the capsicum, and little of chopped tomatoes and fry well.

* Now add the chopped chicken, and mix well and cook for sometimes.

* When the chicken starts to turn white in colour, add the rest of the tomatoes and mix well.

* Now add the redry chilly, green chilly, salt, chilly powder, coriander powder, little chopped corinader leaves and kasoori methi and mix well , and allow it to cook for 10 - 15 mins. ( Do not add water, because chicken leave out water).


* Keep stiring until the chicken is cooked and let the oil start to come out.
* Then squeeze the fresh lemon ( 1 tsp ) and mix well and switch off the stove.

Wow.........the yummy chicken bharta is ready, garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot. Enjoy yours too.........hmmmmmmmmmmmm.....

Back to printable version of this recipe

My Interview @ Solkadi

Hi friends, My India trip is filled with great joy and fun. More over to double it, I had my first interview @ Naarisakhi. Now here is my second interview at Solkadi. I am really really happy friends, and when thinking about sharing this happiness with some one, you were the first who come to my mind. Thank you friends, without all your support, i could have not done this.



CHECK OUT MY INTERVIEW HERE : http://solkadi.com/user/?p=97

Thank you my dear friends and my wonderful visitors.

With Luv,

Lavanya Sivavijayakumar
www.spice-india.com

King prawn Curry

King Prawn Curry is one of the dish i often prepare, because its so easy and yumm. Here is the recipe just for you.
Ingredients :

Raw King Prawn - 500g ( Washed and cleaned)
Big onion - 2 ( Chopped finely)
Tomatoes - 2 ( Chopped)
Ginger and Garlic paste - 5 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 stem
Coriander leaves - hand ful ( Washed and cleaned)
Oil - To fry
Salt - To taste
Coriander/ dhaniya powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilly powder - 1 - 2 tsp ( According to the spice you prefer)
Garam Masala - 1 tsp

Preparation :

* Take a pan, add 3 - 5 tsp of oil and 1 chopped onions and fry till golden brown.
* Then add the 1 chopped tomato and fry it well. ( Close the lid and cook till the tomato go soft and cooked).
* Then add the curry leaves, coriander leaves and fry for few mins.
* Now keep it aside till it get cool. Then grind it to fine paste adding water.
* Now take another pan, add 1 - 2 tsp of oil, and fry the felt over chopped onions and tomatoes.
* Then add the ginger and garlic paste and fry till the raw smell disappears.
* Now add the grinded paste and mix well.
* Add chilly powser, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt and fry to 5 mins.
* Add 1/2 cup of water and the prawns to it and allow it to cook with the lid open and keep stiring it very often making sure it does not stick to the pan.
* Cook till the prawn is cooked ( Add water if neccessary)
* Now once the prawn is cooked the oil will start to come out. At this stage add the garam masla and mix well

Thats all the yummy King prawn curry is ready to be served. Enjoy..............

TIPS : The frozen prawn may smell more comparing to the fresh ones. So to wash such prawn add 2 tsp of vineger and 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder to 1 litre of water, and wash the prawn in this. This will hep to get rid of the smell.

Click here for the printable version of this recipe

A Simple Vegetarian Meals

Hi friends, Having a great time in India and eating all lovely food that are prepared by my mom has made me to put on 2 kg of extra weight. Wish it should not increase any more. I always had a great hunger for non vegetarian foods. My friends and family members use to make fun of me telling that my stomach grows bigger when i see non-vegetarian food items on the menu. Yes thats somewhat true. So decided to prepare some vegetarian meals for my Lunch. And the Menu is here.
Plain Rice,
Onion Sambar,
Garlic Rasam ( For digestion LOL....),
beans Curry/ Poriyal,
Potato fry,
Peerkangai Chutney and
papad.

These are common item that we prepare for our lunch. Each one prepare it in their own way, and i have my own style of preparation. So, here is my recipe just for you.

PLAIN RICE :

* I cook rice in electric cooker, with the propostion of 1 : 2. i.e) for one cup rice, i add two cup water. * Its as simple as that.........

ONION SAMBAR :

This is my way of making onion sambar. I learnt it from my mom. My friends always say that my sambar has a very good taste, and have always been asking me the recipe. Here is the recipe just for you.

Ingredients :

Toor Dhal - 1 cup
Garlic - 1 ( Peeled )
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Black Mustard seed - 1 tsp
Urid Dhal - 1/2 tsp
Dry Red chilly - 2 ( Chopped)
Onion - 1 ( Chopped finely)
Tomatoes - 2 ( Chopped )
Coriander leaves - hand ful ( Washed and cleaned )
Curry leaves - 1 stem ( Washed and cleaned)
Tamarind Water - ( Lemon sized tamarind soaked and squeezed in 2 cup of water )
red Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Asafoetida / hing/ perungayam - 1/4 tsp
Salt - To taste
Vadagam - small pinch
Oil - To fry.

Preparation :

* Take a vessel, add the toor dhal and wash it well.
* Now add the peeled garlic and turmeric powder , and add enough water.
* Pressure cooker it for 3 whistles.
* Then take out the vessel and mash the dhal.
* Now take another vessel, add oil and add the Musturd seed, urid dhal and dry red chilly and fry well.
* Then add the chopped onion, and fry till golden brown.
* Now add the chopped tomatoes and fry well.
* Add little coriander and curry leaves and fry for 2 mins.
* Now add the cooked and mashed dhal and mix well with the fried ingredients.
* Then add the tamarind water and mix well.
* Add chilly powder, salt, asofoetida and enough water ( According to the thickness you prefer), and allow it to be cooked for 20 - 25 mins.
* Finally take a kadai or pan , add some oil and when the oil is heated, add the vadagam and fry it and immedietly add it to the samabar and close the sambar vessel with the lid. Open the lid after 3 - 5 mins.

Thats all , the spicy and yummy onion sambar is ready to be served. Garnish and serve hot with hot plain rice, by adding little ghee...hmmmmmmmmmmmm

GARLIC RASAM :

well, this is a very simple rasam recipe, which i learnt from my grandmother who live in a small village. Its such a tasty rasam when cooked with real care. We always see people cooking the rasam for som much time, but here we dont do that. If all the ingredients are ready, then it take no more than 5 - 10 mins.

Ingredients :

Whole black pepper - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Red Chillies - 4( Chopped )
Curry leaves - 1 stem ( Washed and cleaned)
Coriander leaves - Little
Garlic - 4 ( Peeled)
Tomato - 1/2
Tamarind Water - 2 cups ( Lemon size tamarind soaked , squeezed in 2 cup of water and filtered)
Salt - to taste
Oil - To fry
Hing/ Asafoetida/ perungayam - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Preparation :

* put black pepper and cumin seeds in a mixy jar and grind it to fine powder.
* next take a vessel, add the powder, add 2 red chillies and the peeled garlic( Mash the garlic well)
* Add the corinader leaves, curry leaves to it.
* Now add the tamarind water and mix everything together. Add asafoetida and 1 cup of water.
* Now sqeeze the 1/2 tomato and also add the skins to the rasam.
* Now take a pan, add oil and heat it. Add the mustard seeds and red chilly and fry. Add the content to the rasam mixture.
* Now add the salt to the rasam mixture and keep it no the stove.
* Please dont leave it long for even to boil for 1 mins also. If it boils, then it looses its taste.
* Stand near and leave it for 5 mins, when it forms a white layer, switch off the stove.

Now the rasam is ready and serve hot.

POTATO FRY :

Potato fry is yet a another simple recipe. It will taste much more better, when it is chopped finely. Because, it gets more crisp and tasty. Goes very well with sambar.


Ingredients :

Potatoes - 5 -6 ( Chopped very finely)
Oil - To fry
Red Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Salt - To taste
Rice flour - 1- 2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp

Preparation :

* First wash the potatoes and chop it finely.
* Then take a pan add 4 -5 tsp of oil
* Add the chopped potatoes and fry for few mins till the raw smell disappears.


* Add the turmeric powder, coriander powder, chilly powder and salt.


* Sprinkle some water. Dont use more water, because the potatoes are chopped very finely.
* Now close the lid and cook it for some time.
* The oil will start to come out. Add the garam masala.


* Once the potatoes are cooked, add the rice flour and mix well and fry for another 5 mins.

Now the crispy potato fry is ready. Enjoy.......

BEANS CURRY/ PORIYAL :


Ingredients :

Beans - 300 grms ( Chopped
)Oil - To fry
Red Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Salt - To taste
Rice flour - 1- 2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp

Preparation :

* First wash the beans and chop it.
* Then take a pan add 4 -5 tsp of oil
* Add the chopped beans and fry for few mins till the raw smell disappears.


* Add the turmeric powder, coriander powder, chilly powder and salt.


* Now add one cup of water.


* Now close the lid and cook it for some time.
* After the beans is cooked, The oil will start to come out.


* Add the garam masala.
* Once the beans are cooked, add the rice flour and mix well and fry for another 5 mins.Now the beans curry is ready. Enjoy.......

PAPAD :

Its simply deep fried in hot oil.

Microwave version of cooking papad :

* Simply sprinkle some water on the papad and place it in the microwave.
* Set the timing for 1 min.
* Make sure you turn it once inbetween to the other side.
* In this way, we need not use oil, and its good for health too.

PEERKANGAI CHUTNEY :

Click here for the peerkangai chutney recipe

Click here for the printable version of this recipe

Dry chilli paneer - ( Microwave cooking)

Hi friends,

As i promised here is the very first recipe of spice-india's microwave cooking.

Chilly paneer is a fav recipe of many. Its one of the most famous and common dish that we find on the menu cards of many chinese restaurants. Here is the microwave version of chilly paneer. ( I have made it dry, so i named it as dry chilli paneer). This microwave version of chilli paneer is very easy to make. When all the ingredients are chopped and ready, then it just takes 10 mins of cooking time. Here is the recipe just for you.

Ingredients :

Paneer - 300 grms ( Sliced into small cubes, and need not be fried, can be used directly)

Big Onion - 1 ( Chopped Length wise)

Ginger - small piece ( Chopped very finely)

Garlic - 2 ( chopped finely)

Soya sauce - 2 tsp vinegar - 1/2 tsp

green capsicum - 1 ( cut into small square shaped )

Ajinomoto - 1/2 tsp

Green chillies - 3 ( sliced length wise)

Cornflour - 1 tsp ( mixed in 6 tsp of water)

Orange food colour - 1/4 tsp Salt - To taste Oil - 3 -4 tsp

Preparation :

* Take a microwave dish and oil. Then add onion, ginger, garlic, ajinomoto, soua sauce and the sliced paneer cube.

* Mix every thing together.

* Cover the dish with the microwave lid.( Do not use tupperware or non microwave proof vessels to cook. And always use the microwave safe lids to cover the vessels. Because microwave vessel lids are with small hole opening, thro which the steam escapes. Do not ever close the container with other lids and cook in microwave. Its very dangerous)

*Microwave for 5 mins. ( Power level - High)

* Then take the vessel out and add vinegar, green chillies, capsicum, salt and the cornflour water, orange food colour and mix very well.

* Now microwave for 4 mins without covering the vessel.

* wow......the yummy chilli paneer is ready now.

*Mix well and serve hot. You are sure to love it.

Click here for the printable version of this recipe