Vankaya kottimeera kharam

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

4 count - brinjals

oil

To Grind:

1 medium size - Onion

15 to 18 strings - Fresh Coriander

3 - Green Chillies

1teaspoon - Dhaniya Powder

1teaspoon - Cumin Powder

2 pinches - Sugar

1/2 teaspoon - Ginger garlic paste

salt to taste

For Tadka/Poopu:

4 to 5 - Curry leaves

1/2 teaspoon - Jeera

Procedure:

1.Cut off the stems of brinjals and cut brinjals length wise.

2.Grind all the ingredients under 'to grind' section into a smooth paste (salt and green chillies can be adjusted to your taste.)

3.Heat oil in a pan, add the cut brinjals and fry them. Add a little salt. (for brinjals to cook faster)

4.Stir in regularly and take them in a bowl when they are 90% done.

5.Add little oil (you can use the same pan)

6.Add jeera and curry leaves.

7.When they splutter ,add the ground mixture.

8.Fry for sometime. (if its sticking to the pan add very little water) and add fried brinjals.

9.Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 10 to 12 mins.

10.Switch off the heat once the oil starts to separate.

11.Serve hot.

This bhaji goes well with both rice and chapaties.

Thanks to my Friend Ramya Bandaru for sharing this recipe.

Vankaya Kharampetti Koora - Spicy Brinjal Bhaji

Ingredients:

10 count - Brinjal ( Preferably thin and tall brinjals )

1 tablespoon - Salt

1 tablespoon - Chilli Powder

1 teaspoon - Hing

1 tablespoon - cream, Optional

3 tablespoons - Oil

Procedure:

For cutting the brinjals:

1. Cut the top stem part of the brinjal.

2. Slit starting from one end of the brinjal vertically.
3. Turn over the brinjal and slit again starting from the other end of the brinjal.

Procedure for Bhaji:

1. Combine salt, chilli powder and hing.

2. Apply the above mixture inside both the slit ends the brinjal. (The quantity of mixture to use inside the brinjal depends on how spicy you would want the dish to be. Adjust accordingly.)

3. Heat oil in a pan. Put the brinjals and cover the pan with a lid for some time.

Note: Toss the brinjals in between for the brinjals to cook well and evenly. Do not use a spatula as the brinjals will fall apart. For easy tossing use a non-stick pan for this recipe.

4. Once the brinjals are cooked and roasted well, add cream and mix gently.

5. Spicy Brinjal Bhaji is ready to server.

Note: This Bhaji goes very well with rice.

Pasta

I love pasta but my husband ..umm ... not so much. Well it doesn't stop me from making it though :). I like it mainly as it is easy to prepare, filling and tasty. On a lighter note: I make this, as I am THE ONE in the kitchen and I get to make what i want to eat.. kidding ;).

Wiki: Pasta is a generic term for noodles made from an unleavened dough of wheat or buckwheat flour and water, sometimes with other ingredients such as eggs and vegetable extracts.

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:
14.5 Oz - Pasta
1 count- Whole Capsicum chopped
1/4 th cup - Corn Kernel
1/4 th cup - Green Peas
1/4 th cup - Cut Green Beans
1/2 th cup - Cauliflower florets
4 count - Green chilles chopped
1 count - Cut Tomato -- optional
4 count - Garlic Cloves Chopped
1/2 teaspoon - Chilli Powder/Red Chilli Flakes
1/2 teaspoon - Dhaniya powder
2 tablespoon - Lemon Juice
2 teaspoon - Italian Herbs seasoning -- optional
4 leaves - Fresh Basil chopped -- optional
Salt to taste
3 teaspoon - Olive Oil/ Regular Oil
1 and half cups - Pasta Sauce
1/3 rd cup - Salsa





Note:
1. Pasta Sauce: I usually buy barilla pasta sauces.
- Barilla Tomato and Basil or
- Barilla Rosted Garlic or
- Spicy Marinara Sauce
2. Salsa: I usually buy Tostitos Chunky Medium/Hot Salsa, 24 oz
3. Pasta: Again I buy Barilla pasta. You can buy almost any variety of Pasta(Farfalle, Penne, Fusilli etc). I prefer whole wheat pasta, which generally contains more fiber and more nutrients than refined pasta.

Procedure:
For Pasta:
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil.
2. Add Pasta and salt to the boiled water. Cook the pasta according to package directions.
3. Once the pasta is cooked, drain the water.
4. Optional:
4a. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a skillet.
4b. Add 1 teaspoon of Italian Herbs seasoning and chopped basil leaves.
4c. Add pasta and sauté.

For Sauce:
1. Take 2 teaspoons of oil in a pan.
2. Add 1 teaspoon of Italian Herbs seasoning.
3. Add chopped garlic, green chilles and saute them.
4. Add dhaniya powder and chilli powder or chilli flakes.
5. Add tomatoes and other vegetables and cook them for some time.
6. Add pasta sauce, Salsa, salt and mix it well.
7. Add 1/4th cup of water if required. Add salt to taste, keep in mind pasta sauce and salsa already have some amount of salt.
8. Bring this to a boil.






9. At the end add the above prepared pasta and lemon juice to the sauce and mix well.
10. Serve hot. You can also garnish this with grated Parmigiano cheese .