Thakkali Chammanthi / Tomato Chutney

Tomato Chutney is a tangy and tasty South Indian chutney made from tomatoes, herbs and spices, there is no onion no garlic or coconut in it. There are many variations of making Tomato chutney / Thakkali Chammanthi. 

Ingredients
3 Rip Tomatoes - diced
3 Dried Red Chillies
1 Tablespoon Split Urad Dal
Salt to taste
1 Tablespoon Oil or as required
1 Teaspoon Finely Chopped Ginger
1 Whole Clove
For The Tadka
A Sprig Curry Leaves
½ Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
A Pinch Asafoetida
1 Tablespoon Oil

Method

Heat oil in the pan and add in the urad dal first. On low heat allow it to turn light golden. Now add in the ginger , red chillies (break them into pieces) and the clove. Sauté for a minute till the red chilly changes color. Now add in the chopped tomatoes and salt. Cook the tomatoes till they are soft and mushy.

Take off heat and allow this mix to cool. Now grind this mixture to a fine paste and keep aside. While grinding, you can add 2-4 tablespoons of water to get the desired consistency of the chutney.

For The Tadka

Heat oil in a small tadka pan add the mustard seeds when they splutter, add the asafoetida and curry leaves give this a good mix. Add in the ground tomato chutney, taste for salt, add if needed. Cook for 2 minutes till all comes together. Take it off heat and enjoy this yum..mm chutney!

This Tomato Chutney taste good and is a perfect accompaniment to enjoy with Idli, Dosa, Vada, Uttapam or even rice and dal. 

We enjoyed this with Ragi Idli and Drumstick Sambar | Murungakkai Sambar... a perfect combo!! 

Labels: Vegan, No Onion No Garlic, Chutney, Tomato, Gluten free, Appetizer, South Indian

Farfalle Pasta With Pesto Alfredo Sauce#Improv

Can I tell you how I am so happy that my plants are thriving, I have many herbed plants in balcony garden, basil, tomato, oregano, thyme, celery, mint, peppermint, kafir, lemongrass, curry leaves, betel leaf, colocasio / taro, ginger, wild garlic, turmeric, bitter gourd and many others. My baisl plant it thriving , so much that it has started to flower. So I trimmed it and made again this Pesto, all the flowers I have made basil flower oil. I made more than a cup of pesto.

Today I, made this wonderful flourless Farfalle Pasta Alfredo Pesto Sauce, its was so delicious, finger licking.

Serves 2
Ingredients
2 Cups Farfalle Pasta
2 Tablespoons Salted Butter
¾ Cup Milk
¾ Cup Fresh Cream
2 Cubes Cheddar Cheese
¾ Cup Basil Pesto With Almonds & Walnuts
1 Green Chilly Paste
2 Large Tomatoes - seeded and diced

Method
Cook the pasta until al dente and drain.

While the pasta cooks, in a large pan add the butter, cream and milk, green chilly paste and pesto , mix this well. Cook this over medium low heat till it comes to a rolling boil, stirring continuously, now grate one cube of cheddar cheese and add to the mix.   

When it starts to just thicken add the pasta and diced tomatoes, give it a good mix and cook till the pasta is just heated. Remove from heat and serve this hot with grated cheese. This pasta dish is saucy, tasty and super delicious.

Enjoy!!
Labels: Flourless, Pesto Sauce, Basil, Pasta, Pasta & Noodles, Homemade, Cream, Cheddar Cheese, Improv Cooking Challenge, International Cuisine, Vegetarian, Jain food

For Improv Cooking Challenge the theme this month is "Pasta & Greens".  

• Sneha’s Recipe : Farfalle Pasta With Pesto Alfredo Sauce 
• Magical Ingredients : Paneer and Spinach Stuffed Shells With Malai 
• Culinary Adventures with Camilla: Pesto Orzo with Broccoli
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Spinach Pesto Pasta with Shrimp

Aloo Bhendi Fry - No Onion, Garlic & Tomato

Bhendi is also known as lady’s finger or okra. In South East Europe it is known as bamya/bamija. Aloo is potato in English. In this sabzi there is no onion, garlic and tomato, it's dry sabzi, goes well with chapatti or dal rice, quick and easy to make. Choose small tender bhendi for this recpie, small ones have less seeds.

Ingredients

2 Medium Aloo/Potatoes - cut into small cubes
250 Grams Small Tender Bhendi/Okra
1 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder or to your spice level
1½ Teaspoons Coriander Powder
½ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
½ Teaspoon Garam masala
A Sprig Curry Leaves
3 - 4 Tablespoons Oil
1 Teaspoon Mustard seeds
A Pinch Asafoetida
Salt to Taste

Method

Wash and pat dry the bhendi with a cloth. Chop off the top and tail, then, cut them in small pieces on a slant.
Peel and cut the potatoes in small cubes.
In a frying pan heat two tablespoons oil. Add the bhendi and keep stirring till the stickiness is gone. Cook till soft on medium low flame. 

When cook, remove them on to a plate.
In the same frying pan heat the remaining oil, add the mustard seeds when they crackle add the asafoetida and curry leaves, give it a good stir then add cut potatoes and fry till nice and crisp. Now add all the dry spices and fry well for about 2 minutes , add the bhend, lemon juice and salt mix well. Let this cook on medium low flame for 2 - 3 minutes, stirring in between. Making sure that it does’nt burn. Switch off the flame and serve. 

Enjoy this sabzi with dal rice or chapatti.

Labels : Bhendi, Okra, Sabzi, No Onion No Garlic, Vrat, Jain food, Side Dish, Indian Style

Dahiwale Aloo ki Sabzi

Dahiwale aloo is nothing but potatoes in yogurt gravy.  This  is a very creamy and flavorful gravy.  Its quick easy and tastes delicious.

Ingredients
For the  Aloo 
10 - 12    Peeled Baby Potatoes
1/2 Teaspoon Cumin seeds
1/2 Teaspoon Mustard seeds
1/2 Teaspoon Onion seeds 
1/2 Teaspoon Fennel seeds
1/4 Teaspoon Asafoetida
2 Bay leaves
3 Cloves
1 Stick Cinnamon
A Sprig Curry leaves
1 Green Chilly - slit
2 Teaspoon Red chilly powder
1 1/2 Teaspoons Coriander Cumin powder
1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
1 Cup Yogurt - whisked
2 Tablespoons Ghee
Salt to taste
For The Garnish
2 to 3 Tablespoons Coriander leaves - chopped

Method 

Heat the ghee in a kadai/pan,  add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, onion seeds, fennel seeds and asafoetida. When the seeds crackle, add the bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, curry leaves and green chilli and sauté for a few seconds.
Add the potatoes, chilli powder, coriander-cumin powder, turmeric powder, salt and sauté till the masala coats the potatoes evenly. 

Add ½ cup of water and bring to a boil.
Add the curds and bring to a boil while stirring continuously so that the gravy does not split.

Garnish with the coriander. Serve hot as a side dish or have as a main course meal with rotis, naan or paratha.
My Notes

As this gravy cools, potato will absorb some of it, so serve hot. If serving later then add a little more water and make a thin gravy. By the time you reheat/serve, you will still have some gravy left.
Labels : Baby Potatoes, Vegetarian, Yogurt, Main course, Side Dish, Gluten free, Vrat, Jain food, No Onion No Garlic

Punjabi Chole - No Onion No Garlic

This is a Jain recipe. The Jain's do not eat onion and garlic in their cooking. This is still a very tasty dish even though, no onion or garlic is used in the preparation. But the Jain use a little extra oil to balance the taste and texture of their dishes. So do not cut down the quantity of oil in the recipe. 

Making no onion no garlic recipes is a challenge. This theme is chosen for the Blogging Marathon, so you find in the previous two days all Jain recipes.

Though there is no onion no garlic in this chole it is still delicious and has an excellent taste. When I tasted this chole it reminded me of the chole samosa plate that is served at Bandra Linking road which I, relish. This taste exactly same as that. So here's the recipe.

Ingredients
2 Cups Chickpeas - boiled
3 Dry Red chillies
1 Teaspoon Cumin seeds
1 Bay Leaf
A pinch of Asafoetida
A spring Curry leaves
1 Tablespoon ginger - green chilly paste (see notes)
1/2 Cup Tomato - chopped
3 Medium size Tomatoes - blanched, skinned and pureed
1 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
1 Teaspoon Red chilly powder
1/2 Teaspoon Amchur powder
2 Tablespoons Chole masala (click here for the recipe)
1/2 Teaspoon Sugar
1 Cup Water
2 Tablespoon Coriander - finely chopped
3 Tablespoon Oil
Salt to taste

Method

In a pan heat oil,  add cumin seeds, bay leaf, red chillies, asafoetida and curry leaves. Then add ginger chilly paste. And fry well, then add the tomatoes chopped, salt to taste, turmeric, red chilly powder, chole masala and fry well till oil separates. Then add tomato puree. Fry well add amchur powder and sugar and fry well till oil separates add boiled chole and water, and let it boil covered for 10 minutes. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot.

We had this with Two Grains Roti and Mint Boondi Raita.

For the Mint Boondi Raita

Ingredients

1 Cup Thick Curds

1/2 Cup Salted Boondi

1 Tablespoon Mint leaves - chopped

1/2 Teaspoon Sumac / Red Chilly powder

Salt to taste

1/2 Teaspoon Sugar

Method

Mix the curds, boondi, salt  and sugar and mint together.  Remove it in a bowl and sprinkle sumac.  Serve chilled.

Notes:
For ginger – chilly paste: 50 grams ginger + 30 grams chillies wash clean and grind to paste, store in the refrigerator .

Labels:  Chickpea, Complete Meal, Healthy, Jain food, Main course, No Onion No Garlic, Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten free,  Mint, Raita

Corn Methi Masala - Jain Recipe - No Onion No Garlic

I always thought that cooking without onions and garlic the dish would be tasteless and this myth is completely gone from by mind. The food is so delicious, you will never know that no onion and garlic has been used in this dish.  I, have now decided whenever onions and garlic prices increase, will cook food without using them.  Am, sure if we all boycott onions and garlic in weekly shopping these prices will automatically come down.

Ingredients

1 Cup Corn kernels - boiled
1 Cup Methi - finely chopped
2 Tablespoons - Tomato puree
1 Teaspoon Cumin seeds
1 Teaspoon Red Chilly powder
1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
1/2 Teaspoon ginger - chopped
2 Green chillies - chopped
10 Cashewnut pieces
1/2 Teaspoon Garam masala
1 Teaspoon Sugar
Salt to taste
1 Tablespoon Butter 
 3 Tablespoon Oil

For Garnishing
1 Teaspoon Cheese - Grated
1 Teaspoon Butter

Method
Grind the green chillies, ginger and cashewnut pieces together using a little water to a fine paste.

Heat the a Teaspoon butter and a teaspoon oil in a pan fry the methi on medium flame till soft and cooked, remove and keep aside.

In the same pan heat the remaining butter and oil, add the cumin seeds when they brown add the ground paste and fry well till oil leaves the sides of the pan, then add the tomato pure, chilly, haldi and garam masala powders and fry well till oil starts leaving the pan. Then add the corn, sugar and a cup water and stir, cover and cook for 5 minutes on slow flame. After 5 minutes add the methi and salt to taste. Give it a quick stir. Switch off the flame. Remove in a serving bowl and garnish it with cheese and a butter, serve hot. 

Labels:  Corn, Main course, Methi Leaves, No Onion No Garlic, Jain food, Vegetarian, Gluten free

You might also want to see other Corn recipes 
Corn Cutlets  

Sweet Corn Cheese Balls

Homemade Cream Style Corn