Weekday Curries

Here are two easy to make curries that are great with Rice or Roti.

Potato and Capsicum Curry

Isn't it strange how no matter where we are we still refer to Green Pepper as Capsicum when it is referenced in a curry? Well, I find it odd anyway, I might just be one of those strange people! :)

Here's a simple every day curry that is easy to make on those nights when you don't have a lot of energy to cook.

INGREDIENTS

2 medium Potatoes -- cubed
1 Green Pepper -- chopped finely
1/2 medium Onion -- chopped finely -- optional
Turmeric
Salt
Red Chilli Powder

Garam Masala Powder
Oil

TADKA

Mustard Seeds
Jeera
Urid Dal
Channa Dal
Hing

PROCEDURE

Fill a microwave safe bowl halfway with water and add in the chopped potato and green pepper pieces. Cook in the microwave until the pieces soften. You can also cook the pieces in a pressure cooker.
In a pan, add about 2 tbsp of oil and add in all of the tadka ingredients.
Once the mustard seeds splutter and the dals brown, add in the chopped onion and let soften.
Now add in the cooked veggie pieces.
Add turmeric, salt, red chilli powder and garam masala powder. Mix everything well.
The curry is ready to be served.

Okra Fry (Bhindi/Lady's Finger Fry)

Another easy to prepare curry, especially if you buy the frozen okra. Then you don't have to worry about chopping the veggies even.

INGREDIENTS

1 package Frozen Okra -- probably about 20 to 30 Fresh Okra
Turmeric
Salt
Red Chilli Powder
Oil

TADKA

Mustard Seeds
Jeera
Urid Dal
Channa Dal
Hing

PROCEDURE

Run the frozen okra under warm water in a colander, sprinkle with some salt and set it aside.
In a pan, heat 2 tbsp of oil and add all the tadka ingredients.
When the mustard seeds start to splutter and the dals brown, add in the okra pieces, cover and let cook until the okra browns and it is no longer sticky.
Add in turmeric, some more salt (if the salt you sprinkled on top wasn't enough), red chilli powder.
Your okra curry is ready to go!!!


So the next time you don't feel like cooking or you have unexpected guests, try these curries will make it seem as if you slaved in the kitchen to get them done, but they are easy as 1-2-3.

Tiranga

No, we didn't cook/eat the flag!!!!

I had some chopped carrots and green peppers in the freezer and 2 medium potatoes. None of them, on their own, would make enough curry for both of us. So I decided to combine them all.

INGREDIENTS

3 Small Carrots

1 and 1/2 Green Peppers

2 Medium Potatoes

1/2 Medium Onion

1 and 1/2 tsp Ginger/Garlic Paste

1/2 tsp Tumeric Powder

2 tsp Salt

1 tbsp Chilli Powder

1 tbsp Garam Masala

1/4 cup Milk

Few drops Lime Juice

TADKA (optional)

Mustard Seeds
Jeera

Urad Dal

Channa Dal

2 Red Chillies

a pinch Hing

PREPARATION

Run the frozen green peppers and carrots under warm water and chop the potatoes into small cubes. Put all three of these in a microwave safe bowl and put the bowl in the microwave for 5 minutes.

In the mean time, finely chop the onion and heat oil in a pan. Once the oil heats, add the optional tadka ingredients. Once, the mustard seeds splutter, add the chopped onion. After the onion get soft, add the ginger/garlic paste and cook until the raw smell goes away. Then add the microwaved vegetables. Doesn't it look like the Indian flag?

Let the veggies cook for about 5 minutes or until the pieces are tender. Add the tumeric powder, salt, chilli powder and garam masala powder. Mix well and cook for a further 2 minutes.

It is now time to add the milk and the lime juice. Freshly sqeezed lime is fine, but I generally tend to use lime juice from the bottle because it stores better than a real lime.

Done!!! Serve with rice or roti or both.