Cooking with love
Biryani is a very popular rice dish which is complimented very well by the Brinjal Thokku as a side.
As salt is to a dish, a side will take a mains entirely to a different level. This brinjal thokku does just that. The brinjal can be substituted with eggplants/aubergine. This dish is a curry with tamarind as the base.
A must try, delicious and simple recipe to enjoy with your favourite biryani/pulav. Please find the video recipe below:
Also find here the earlier post to Vegetable Biryani.
Wake up to a great start.
Some of the most beautiful and healthiest things to eat is at its natural state. Fruits make a great way of adding the colours to your plate and at the same time providing us with the much needed nutrients.
Keep it simple and enjoy!
A simple version of a healthy start, inspired from one of my friend’s morning breakfast at a cafe.
This is a 5 Ingredient meal:
Method:
Plate up everything together and enjoy!
A very tasty and scrumptious meal for lunch/dinner is the steamed rice with Sambar and vendakkai(okra) poriyal.
Varuthu Aracha Sambar:
The sambar is a very common curry in most households in South India. This version goes the extra mile of adding freshly ground spices into the lentil based curry. It is popularly called as Varuthu aracha (roasted and ground) sambar. Because of the fresh masala, it has a very rich aroma and additional taste which is truly divine. The sambar goes well with steamed rice, dosa or vadai. Add a hint of ghee along with the sambar while mixing with rice to make it extra tasty.
Please find the video recipe to make the Varuthu Aracha Sambar below:
Vendakkai (Okra) Poriyal
A poriyal is generally referred to a dish which is dry and not a gravy. The vendakkai (okra) poriyal pairs very well with steamed rice which has a curry. This recipe is very easy to make with less ingredients.
Please find the video below to make the vendakkai poriyal.
My most favourite vegetable would be the ladies finger also popularly known as Okra or Vendakkai (in tamil).
I have been told from childhood that if we eat this vegetable we will do very well in Mathematics 
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Next to sambar, the Vendakkai puli (tamarind) curry is usually my go to recipe and it goes very well with steamed rice. Please find my version below in the video. Hope you like it!
A nice one pot meal to bring in all the Indian spices together with vegetables and rice. A very yummy rice dish that can be enjoyed with raita.
Hope you enjoy my version!
Please watch the video for the method:
One of my favourite stir fry noodles rich in flavours and equally spicy. It brings memories of the Chatswood street food place we often go to while in Sydney to enjoy this dish .
Things you need:
1. Noodles cooked – 2-3 cups
2. Few cut vegetables of choice – I used carrots, beans mushroom, broccoli, red pepper and tofu
3. Chilli flakes-1-2tsp
4. Ginger garlic paste
5. Basil leaves- few
6. Oil and salt as required
Please watch video for method.
A super easy and nutritious side for rice or roti made with Indian pulses. Tadka means ‘tempering’. The Dal which I am using in my recipe is the Toor dal which goes by many names including Pigeon Pea.
Things you need:
1. Toor dal – 1/2 cup
2. Turmeric powder -1 tsp
3. Onion – 1
4. Tomato -1
5. Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
6. Curry leaves – 1 spring
7. Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
8. Dried red chilli – 2 or 3
9. Oil – 3 tblsp
10. Coriander for garnishing – optional
Please watch the video for the method:
This is a hot favourite in the Indo-Chinese cuisine and every Chinese restaurant in India will have this as part of their menu.The recipe below is sure to be a big hit at your home and it compliments well as a side dish to any fried rice or noodles. A little extra effort when it comes to frying the cauliflower but it will be well worth it in the end. Do try and let me know how it went.
Things you need:
1. Cauliflower – 1 medium
2. Onion – 2 medium
3. Green capsicum – 1
4. Tomato sauce – 3 tblsp
5. Soy sauce- 2 tblsp
6. Chilli powder- 2 tsp
7.Ginger garlic paste – 2 tblsp
8. Spring onion 1 – for garnishing, Red chilli – 1 – Optional
For batter:
1. Plain flour – 1/2 cup
2. Corn flour – 1/4 cup
3. Ginger garlic paste -1.5 tblsp
4. Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
5.Chilli powder – 1 to 2 tsp
6. Salt and water as required
For the method please watch the video.
This is a tasty, delicious dish which goes very well with rice, roti or dosa.
Things you need (Serves 2):
1. Eggs – 4 nos
2. Onion – 1 big
3. Tomato – 1 big
4. Bayleaf- 1
5. Curry leaves – 1 spring
6. Chilli powder- 1 tsp
8. Coriander powder – 1 tblsp
9. Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
10. Salt to taste
To grind:
1. Ginger and garlic – little
2. Few peppercorns
3. Jeera (cumin seeds) – 1/4 tsp
4. Fennel seeds – 1/4 tsp
5. Cardamom – 1
For the method, please watch the video
The Homechef 