Keerai Masiyal

Keerai Masiyal or Mashed Spinach is the most easiest South Indian side-dish. Its packed with wonderful nutrients and an amazing fresh flavor! This traditional dish has only Spinach. The additional flavor comes from the tempering. This dish goes well with rice, vathakozhambu, sambar.. almost every south indian entrée. What's better? You don't have to chop the spinach. Just wash, clean and cook!

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Spinach - 2 bunches
Jeera - 1/4 teaspoon
Urad dhall - 1/4 teaspoon
Mustard - 1/4 teaspoon
Coconut Oil - 1 tablespoon
More Milaga ( Dry Chillies saoked in buttermilk) - 2-3
Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Wash and clean the spinach. Add the spinach to a hot kadai. Cook and cover. Do not add water. The spinach will let out some water that is more than sufficient for the final texture.
2. Once the spinach is cooked, let it cool and blend it in a mixer for a few seconds. Take care not to mash the spinach a lot.
3. Heat coconut oil and temper it with mustard, jeera, urad dhall and more milaga. Add this to the mashed spinach along with salt.

Keerai Masiyal is ready to serve! Enjoy with rice and a dollop of ghee. It's heaven!

Punjabi Bhindi Masala

Bhindi/Okra/Ladies Finger is everyone's favorite. I have been an Okra lover ever since I started eating it. Though initially, I was used to traditional Okra recipes, I slowly started to explore many more versions of Okra in the recent years. I am truly amazed at the variety of dishes you can make with Okra. Every time I visit the Indian store here, I make it a point to grab a few pounds of this wonderful vegetable. I have tried various Okra recipes, but I bet this Punjabi Bhindi Masala brought out the flavor of Okra so well, I kind of lost myself while indulging in this flavor-packed sabzi. Punjabi Bhindi Masala has a unique blend of masalas and okra. It goes  Perfectly well with Rotis, Naans and Phulkas. Enjoy cooking this wonderful dish and indulge yourself into the "Okra World"

Serves: 3

Ingredients:

Ladies Finger/Okra/Bhindi (cut into 1 inch pieces)- 1/2 kg
Onion (finely chopped) - 1
Tomato (finely chopped) - 2 (medium sized)
Kasuri Methi - 1/4 teaspoon
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tablespoon
Green Chillies - 2
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Coriander Powder - 3/4 teaspoon
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Red Chilli Powder - 3/4 teaspoon
Garam Masala Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Amchur Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Jeera - 1 teaspoon
Oil - 2 tablespoons
Salt - to taste

Method:

1. In a kadai, add 1 tablespoon oil and fry the okras for about 10 minutes on low-medium heat. The okras will start to darken and will loose a little bit of their stickiness. Do not add water. Just sauté every 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.

2. Add 1 tablespoon oil in the same kadai. Add jeera and allow to splutter. Add onions, green chillies, ginger garlic paste and salt and cook well.
3. Once the onions are cooked, add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, amchur powder and kasuri methi.  Mix well.
4. Add tomatoes, along with 2 tablespoons coriander leaves and let it cook well.
5. Once the tomatoes are well cooked and oil oozes from the sides, add the sautéed okra and cook well for about 10-12 minutes. Add garam masala.
6.Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with Roti/Naan/Phulkas!