Eggplant Curry Sandwich | Leftover Magic

Remember my Eggplant and Tomato Curry Recipe?  With the leftover curry I got this idea of making sandwich for breakfast and it was just too good, DH simply loved it.   It’s so simple, easy to do and takes less than 10 minutes with just 3 ingredients, it doesn't really get better than this.  No one can make out the stuffing is eggplant, if you have anyone doesn't like brinjal then this is a good way to add brinjal in their diet.  A great way to use your leftover curry in a form of new dish, perfect for breakfast, snack or even for lunch box.  You can use any other leftover curry of your choice just make sure you are not selecting something which has lot of gravy, a semi-dry curry works best here and get’s dry faster when cooked.  I usually make sandwich in my sandwich maker but for blog post had to toast the bread in tawa so you can see the step vise pictures.  If you want just spread chutney, curry over bread and toast in your sandwich maker. 

Ingredients for Eggplant Curry Sandwich [Serves 2]

Eggplant Tomato Curry - 1 Cup
Bread Slice - 4 [ I used white bread]
Green Chutney - 2-3 tbsp

Method:

1. Heat a wok/pan and add leftover eggplant tomato curry, cook in medium flame until it becomes dry and mash eggplant pieces with back of ladle, stir in intervals. 

2. Heat a pan/tawa and toast bread pieces both side.

3. To Assemble, apply green chutney on one side of bread and then spread generous amount of curry, top it up with another pieces of toasted bread, cut and serve.

That’s all our super easy and delicious sandwich is ready in less than 10 minutes.  Have it with tea/coffee for a filling and yummy breakfast or evening snack.

Variations ~
~ You can use brown or multi-grain bread
~ Spread butter before chutney if preferred.

Have a nice day ~~

Olive & Herbs Focaccia Bread

Baking own bread is always pleasure, I wanted to try focaccia for a very long time and finally I baked this focaccia with olive and herbs along with Plum Streusel Muffins.  Focaccia (pronounced as Fo-Ka-Cha) is Italian flat bread with topping of any choice.  Perfect to have it as it is or when focaccia is warm try it dipped in olive oil it taste fabulous, or use this bread to make any sandwich of your choice for a mostly tasty sandwich or a side for soup.

Broken Wheat Pongal

Other then broken wheat halwa aka Lapi I also use broken/cracked wheat for pongal some times.  It’s very filling to eat and easy to prepare, a perfect weekday dinner recipe for me or a perfect breakfast for a healthy start of day.  I had last year resolution to post reader’s request recipes but I was not doing that seriously so this year again I made this resolution and will try to post requested recipes.  I have quite a few requests to post healthy/diet friendly recipes and now I guess I should start doing something about it, so starting the series with this delicious, filling, healthy and quick cracked wheat pongal.  If you are on diet then skip ghee and have it with some good side dish which has lots of vegetables.  And if you don’t like usual boring, dull dalia then try this pongal you will sure love it.
 

Ingredients for Broken/Cracked Wheat Pongal [Serves 2-3]

Broken Wheat/Dalia - 1 Cup
Yello Moong Dal/Split  - 1/2 Cup
Water - 2 Cups + as needed
Salt - To Taste
Peppercorns - 1 tsp
Oil/Ghee - 1 tbsp
Curry Leaves - a sprig [ I ran out of it so didn't use]
Cashew nuts - 2 tbsp

To Grind
Ginger - 1” pieces
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Peppercorns - 1 tsp

Method:
1. Rinse broken wheat/dalia and moong dal 5-6 times.

2. Add water, salt, peppercorns and pressure cook for 3 whistles.  Once pressure released, slightly mash it.

3. Grind coarsely all the items listed under “to grind” without water.

4. Heat oil/ghee in a pan add grind-ed masala, curry leaves, cashews and saute until golden brown.

5. Now add cooked pongal and mix well.  Add water depending on the consistency you like for pongal, adjust salt if required.  Bring it to a boil and off flame.

Serve warm with a gallop of ghee if preferred.  Have it with chutney, sambar or any side dish of your choice.

Note ~
~ If you eat this pongal after a while it will become thick, add some hot water, simmer for 2 minutes and serve.
~ Don't skip ginger, that's add the flavor.

Have a nice day ~~

Lauki Badi Sabzi

Lauki or bottle gourd is one of those vegetables which I started to like now, usually I settle myself with lauki dal a easy and quick way to include bottle gourd in our diet and sometimes the simple lauki sabji which does well with rice or roti.   I had half of bottle gourd with me I decided to add badi along to make a sabji, a wonderful combination results in a tasty side dish perfect for again rice or roti, sambar, rasam, dal.  If you don’t have badi/wadi with you replace it with soya chunks/meal maker something similar to lauki soya sabzi I posted before but this will be dry version, just remember to boil and squeeze water from soya chunks before using it.  So let’s check out our recipe of the day….

Ingredients for Lauki Badi Sabzi [Serves 3-4]

Bottle gourd/Lauki - 1 medium size [2 1/2 cups chopped]
Badi/Wadi - 1/2 cup
Tomato - 1 [ 1/2 Cups chopped]
Green Chilies - 5-6
Minced Ginger-garlic - 1/2 tbsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Seeds Powder - 1 tsp
Milk - 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Cilantro - 1 tbsp [chopped]
Water - Around 1/2 cup if required

Method:

1. Wash, peel, de-seed and chop bottle gourd in small pieces.  I make small pieces so it’s gets cooked faster and also I don’t like to bite on large pieces !
2. Wash and chop green chilies, tomato and cilantro.  Freshly mince garlic and ginger.

3. In a wok heat 1 tbsp oil add badi/wadi and sauté until golden brown in medium to slow heat, don’t do in high heat as it may get badi burnt.  Transfer into a bowl and keep aside.

~ As these badi is small & soft it will get cooked quickly so I didn’t soak them in water, if you going to use big or hard types badi/wadithen after frying in oil soak them in hot water until required to use in sabji/curry.

4. In the same wok add remaining oil, cumin seeds and allow to splutter. Add ginger garlic and green chilies & sauté until golden brown,  add chopped bottle gourd/lauki mix well.

5. Cook in medium flame for 8-10 minutes or until bottle gourd becomes soft, add turmeric and coriander seeds powder and mix.
6. Add tomato and cook for 2 minutes or until tomato gets mashed.

7. Now add fried badi/wadi, stir gently let it cook for a minute, add salt and stir.

8. Add milk and stir gently, cook for another 2 minutes until curry becomes dry and oil separates.  Garnish with cilantro and off flame.

Our lauki wadi sabzi is ready ...

Have a nice day ~~

Chettinad Egg Curry | Chettinad Muttai Kuzhambu

Hope everyone celebrating Makar Sankranti/Pongal having great time.  Chettinad food is always very famous specially their spicy and delicious non-vegetarian recipes.  Bored of usual egg curry, I made this chettinad style egg curry and from then just hooked on, it's become instant hit at home.  Don’t get wrong impression with the long list of ingredients, its a easy and simple recipe with all the ingredients available in pantry.  This spicy, yummy egg curry is a treat to eat with rice, if you like spicy food then it’s for you.  I added little curry leaves while grinding masala just like that but you can skip that if you don’t wish too add.  Since lot of people eat non-vegetarian food during Kaanum Pongal it's a best time to me to post this recipe.

Ingredients for Chettinad Egg Curry [ Serves 4-6]

Eggs - 6
Onion - 2 [medium]
Tomato - 2 [medium]
Oil - 3 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig
Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Seeds Powder - 1 tsp
Water - 2 cups
Salt - To Taste

To Grind
Dry Red Chilli - 3
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Peppercorns - 1/2 tsp
Clove - 2
Cinnamon - 1/2” pieces
Green Cardamom - 1
Chopped Ginger - 1 tsp
Chopped Garlic - 1 tbsp
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig
Green Chillies - 2
Khus Khus (poppy seeds) or Cashew Nuts - 1 tbsp
Curry Leaves - 2 sprigs [optional]
Grated Coconut - 2 tbsp
Water - to grind

Method:

1. Boil eggs, remove shell and make small slits in egg with knife, keep aside.
2. Dry roast ingredients except curry leaves, coconut under ‘to grind’ until aromatic (1-2 minutes) allow to cool.
3. Grind  roasted ingredients with curry leaves to smooth paste using little water and keep side.  Grind coconut with little water and keep aside.

4. Finely chop onion and tomato.
5. In a wok or pan heat oil add mustard seeds and allow to splutter.  Add curry leaves, onion and sauté until soft.
6. Add chilli, coriander seeds, turmeric powder and mix well, cook for a minute.

7. Add tomatoes, cover and cook until tomato gets mash.   Now add grinded masala paste.

8. Cook in medium flame for 8-10 minute or until oil separates. Add 2 cups of water, salt and bring it to boil.

9. Add eggs and cook for 5 minutes or until gravy becomes thick.
10. Add coconut paste mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes, off flame.

Serve warm with steamed rice or roti.

Other Chettinad Recipes
Chettinad Prawn Curry

Have a nice day ~~

Tariwale Aloo Matar | No Onion-Garlic Recipe

Aloo tari or aloo matar tari is one of my favorite recipe, it’s so simple, easy and quick to make plus goes well with just everything.   I make this for all most all the get-together to balance the meal and the fact that it's a perfect sabzi for paratha, roti, poori, jeera or peas pulav or just any variety rice makes it more appealing.  It’s a no onion-garlic recipe which might interest more some of you.  It also goes so well with pongal, so this pongal give a miss to your usual gosthu, sambar, kuzhambu etc and try this simple aloo matar tariwale with pongal, a mix or north and south and if you have boiled potatoes in hand then this can be done in jiffy.  Here I made this with ajwain paratha and lemon rice for a friend.  Try this and it will become one of your favorite recipe too.

Ingredients for Tariwale Aloo Matar Sabzi

Boiled Potato - 3
Peas - 1/2 cup [ I used frozen]
Tomato - 2
Green Chilies - 3
Oil - 1 tbsp
Asafoetida/Hing - a pinch
Cumin Seeds/Jeera - 1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Coriander Seeds Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp
Amchar Powder - 1/2 tsp [optional]
Salt - to taste
Water - 2 Cups
Cilantro - 3 tbsp [chopped]

Method

1. Peel and chop boiled potatoes in to medium size pieces.  Mash one chopped potatoes pieces with 1 cup of water and keep aside. Chop tomato and green chilies.
2. In a wok or pan heat oil, add hing, cumin seeds and allow to splutter.
3. Add chopped tomato, stir and cook cover until tomato gets mashed.
4. Add red chili, turmeric, coriander seeds powders and mix well cook for a minute.
5. Add peas, potatoes pieces, stir and cook for a minute.  Add potato mixed water and another cup of water, salt to taste and bring it to boil.
6. Now simmer gravy for 7-10 minutes, add garam masala powder, amchur (if using) and simmer for another minute.  Garnish with cilantro and off flame.

Our tariwale aloo matar is ready, serve with roti, paratha or any variety rice.

Variations
~ Add ginger-garlic paste if preferred
~ You can skip peas and made this only as aloo tari
~ Add little kasuri methi for extra flavour
~ This curry will be watery and not very thick, it's the way it suppose to be.
~ For nice red color gravy, use good quality of red chilli powder.

Have a nice day ~~

Chow Chow Dal Recipe

Chayote, chow chow or as known as Bengaluru katharikkai (brinjal) in tamil is one of those veggie which makes rare appearance at home. And most of the time I make this simple dal, though the recipe is easy but this dal taste very delicious. It's my sister recipe, I learnt this from her as in our parents place chow chow is total no-no, South Indian vegetables makes very rare appearance in my parents place.

Pappa Al Pomodoro | Tomato Bread Soup

Hope you all had great start of year, I wanted to start this year with a sweet note but then I changed my mind and thought of having a healthy start with this easy and delicious soup.  Pappa al pomodoro or tomato bread soup is one of my favorite and I always make this when I bake my wheat bread, last part of bread always transform into this delicious soup. 

I wanted to post this recipe for years now but never manage until I made this recently for lunch with not home made bread instead I used white & multigrain breads.  You can try this soup with any bread of your choice.   This makes delicious, healthy breakfast, lunch or dinner and if you try once you will sure love this filling soup, the plus point if you have stale bread use it for this recipe and it's a perfect winter soup - filling, warm and comfort ..what say?

Ingredients for Tomato Bread Soup  [ Serves - 2]

Breads - 5 pieces [ I used white and multi grain breads]
Onion - 1 large
Tomato - 2 large
Olive Oil - 2 tbsp
Minced Garlic - 1 tbsp
Chili Flakes - 1/2 tbsp
Salt & Pepper - to taste
Tomato Ketchup - 1 tbsp
Italian herbs - 1/2 tbsp
Parmesan Cheese - 2 tbsp (for garnish)
Water - 1 cup

Method

1. Slice onion and chop tomato.
2. Cut bread in to pieces
3. In a wok or pan heat oil add minced garlic and sauté until light brown, keep stirring to infuse oil with garlic flavor.  Add onion and saute until translucent.

4. Now add tomato and cook for 2-3 minutes cover.
5. Add salt, chilli flakes mix and cook until tomato fully mashes.

6. Allow to cool and grind.  We don't have to grind into smooth paste, if you like little chunky.
7. Bring soup back to pan add 1 cup of water, add tomato ketchup, herbs, pepper and bring it to boil.

8. Add bread pieces, cover and cook for 5 minutes or until bread becomes soft in medium heat.  Add more water if required.
9. Adjust salt and pepper.

Garnish with cheese, pepper, herbs (if wish) and serve warm.

Have a nice day ~~

Happy New Year 2013

Wishing Everyone Happy & Peaceful New Year 

In this new year
May God grant you:
Sun to warm you,
Moon to charm you,
An Angel to protect you,
True love to care for you,
A friend to listen to you!

And for your Appetite....I am here :)