KOORKA STIR FRY

Koorka Stir Fry
(Chinese Potato Stir Fry)

Ingredients

Chinese potato (steamed) - 3 cups
Pearl onions (sliced thin) - 6 nos

Red Chilly powder - 1tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Garlic cloves - 3 or 4
Salt to taste
Curry leaves - few
Cooking oil - 2 tbsp

Directions

 1. Slice the steamed Chinese potato into halves
 2. Heat oil in a pan. Put curry leaves, sliced onions and garlic and sauté it till onions are tender.
 3. Add red chilly powder and turmeric powder.
 4. Then add the sliced Chinese potato and sprinkle little water and stir it well. Add salt to taste.
 5. Stir fry till the Chinese potato turn little crisp.
 6. Serve it hot with rice as side dish.
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CAULIFLOWER PAKODA

Cauliflower Pakoda

Ingredients

Cauliflower -350gms
Ginger - garlic paste - 11/2 tsp
Red chilly Powder - 1tsp
Garam Masala powder -1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Besan -1/2 cup
Rice flour - 2tbsp
Corn flour - 2 tbsp
Vegetable oil
Salt to taste

Directions

1. Wash the cauliflower florets well and keep it in a pan. Add ginger - garlic paste, garam masala, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, green chillies and salt.
2. Mix well and evenly sprinkle the besan, rice flour and corn flour and coat the cauliflower florets with that. Use water as needed for that.
3. Heat oil in a pan and add the cauliflower florets and fry them till they turn golden brown.
4. Serve hot.

VANPAYAR CARROT THORAN

Vanpayar Carrot Thoran

Ingredients

Carrot(finely chopped) – ½ cup
Onion(finely chopped) – 3 tbsp
Green Chillies(cut small) - 6 nos
Grated Coconut – ½ cup
Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Vanpayar - ½ cup
Cumin seeds- pinch
Garlic(chopped) - 1 nos
Chilly powder - ½ tsp
Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
Dry red chillies - 2 nos
Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - few sprigs
Salt to taste


Directions

1.Cook vanpayar in a pressure cooker with turmeric powder and water for 3 -4 whistle.
2.Crush coconut, cumin seeds, chilly powder and garlic.
3.Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and red chillies, allow to splutter.
4.Add onions and green chillies , sauté until onions turn transparent.
5.Add carrot into it.
6.Add turmeric powder,little water and salt.
7.Reduce the flame and cover the pan and let it cook for 5 -7 mins .
8.Add cooked vanpayar to it and mix well.
9.Cook carrot and vanpayar together for 2 - 3 minutes.
10.Add the crushed coconut and mix well.
11.Garnish with curry leaves. Serve hot with rice.

BEETROOT PACHADI

Beetroot Pachadi

Ingredients

Grated Beetroot : 1 cup
Ginger : 1 tsp (minced)
Green chillies : 3 nos
Grated Coconut  : 1/4 cup
Mustard seeds  : 1 tsp
Plain Sour Yogurt /Curd : 1 cup
Curry leaves  : 1 sprig
Salt to taste
Coconut Oil : 1 tsp

Directions

1. Cook the grated beetroot with little water till it turn to soft.
2. Grind the grated coconut, green chillies, grated ginger and 1/4 tsp mustard seeds into a smooth paste with 1/4 cup curds.
3. Add the coconut paste to the cooked beetroots and cook for couple of mins. Remove from the fire.
4. Now add the rest of the curd, salt and combine well.
5. Heat oil for tempering in a small frying pan and add the curry leaves and mustard seeds and add to the beetroot mix.

CHEERA THORAN

Red Spinach Thoran

(Cheera Thoran)

Ingredients

Spinach (chopped) – 5 cups
Sliced shallots – ½ cup
Crushed garlic – 3 cloves
Grated coconut – 1 cup
Cumin powder – ¼ tsp
Green chillies – 2
Turmeric powder – a pinch
Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
Cooking oil
Salt to taste

Directions

1. Grind coconut, green chillies, turmeric powder and cumin into a coarse paste.
2.Combine the chopped spinach with some salt and keep aside.
3.Heat oil in a non stick pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add shallots, garlic, curry leaves and sauté for a few minutes.
4.Add the chopped spinach and mix everything. Cover and cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
5.Spread out the spinach so that the water evaporates easily. When the water has almost evaporated, add the coconut mixture and combine everything together. Add more salt if needed.
6.Cover the pan and cook on low flame for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally or until the spinach is cooked.
7. Remove the lid and stir fry carefully for another 2-3 minutes so that all water evaporates and the spinach is not soggy.

Omaikka Thoran

Ingredients

Omaikka(Raw Pappaya) - 1(grated)
Shallots - 8 (diced)
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Green chillies -3 (cut into small pieces)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves
Vegetable oil
Salt to taste

Directions

1. In a nonstick pan heat oil, add mustard. After the mustard pops, add curry leaves and half of the diced shallots. Fry shallots lightly. Then add the grated rawpappaya, salt to taste and mix well. Sprinkle some water. Put a tight lid on the pan and cook on a very slow heat for 2 to 3 mintues, till the pappaya is cooked.
2. Coarsely grind the grated coconut,half of the diced shallots,turmeric powder, cumin seeds and green chillies.
3. Add the coarsely ground ingredients and mix in. Close with lid and cook for two or three minutes. Then open the lid, stir and fry for a minute.
4. Serve hot.

KOVAIKKA THORAN

Kovaikka/Tindora Thoran

Ingredients

Kovaikka (Cut into very small pieces) - 400 gms
Shallots - 8 (diced)
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Green chillies -3 (cut into pieces)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves
Vegetable oil
Salt to taste

Directions

1. In a nonstick pan heat oil, add mustard. After the mustard pops, add curry leaves and half of the diced shallots. Fry shallots lightly. Then add cut kovaikka, salt to taste, stir and mix. Sprinkle some water on the kovaikka. Put a tight lid on the pan and cook on a very slow heat for 2 to 3 mintues, till kovaikka is cooked.
2. Coarsely grind the grated coconut,half of the diced shallots,turmeric powder, cumin seeds and green chillies.
3. Add the coarsely ground ingredients and mix in. Close with lid and cook for a minute. Then open the lid, stir and fry for a minute.
4. Serve hot.

Potato Dry Roast

Ingredients

Potato – 5
Onion (big) – 1(sliced thin)
Red chilly powder – 1 tbsp
Coriander powder – 2 tbsp
Garam masala powder – 1tbsp
Ginger-garlic paste – 2 tsp
Tomato – 1 (small, chopped)
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Curry leaves
Cooking oil
Salt to taste

Directions

1. Heat oil in a pan and sauté the sliced onion. When it turns brown, and the ginger-garlic paste, tomato, curry leaves and sauté.
2. Add the chilly powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder and coriander powder. Sauté well.
3. Add the diced potato and cook with the lid on. Add salt to taste.
4. When the potato is done, take the lid off and allow the water to evaporate. Serve hot.

PACHA KAYA THORAN

Raw Banana Thoran

Ingredients

Raw banana (cut into small pieces) – 300 gms
Sliced shallots – ¼ cup
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Green chilies – 3 (chopped)
Shredded coconut – ¼ cup
Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp
Salt to taste
Cooking oil

Directions

1. Cook the raw banana with little water, turmeric powder and salt.
2. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, add sliced shallots and saute till it becomes light brown.
3. Add the cooked raw banana, shredded coconut , green chilies and cumin seeds
4. Cover and cook for a few minutes. Open the lid and stir till the mixture is completely dry.

Beans & Carrot Thoran

Ingredients

Chopped beans - 2 cups
Grated carrot – 2 cups
Grated coconut – ¼ cup
Shallots – 2 Nos
Green chillies - 3 Nos.
Cumin seeds – ¼ tsp
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Vegetable oil – 1 tsp
Curry leaves
Salt to taste

Directions

1. Cook beans and carrot with turmeric powder and salt in little water.
2. Crush the grated coconut, cumin seeds, shallots and green chillies and add to the cooked beans and carrot. Mix well.
3. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter. Add curry leaves.
4. Add the beans and carrot into the pan, stir well and cook it for 2 minutes.

VENDAIKKA /OKRA MASALA

Vendaikka Masala

Okra/ Lady's finger Masala


Ingredients

Okra/ lady’s finger/vendaikka – 400 gms
Shallots (chopped) – 8
Garam masala powder – 1 ½ tsp
Chilly powder – ½ tsp
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Cooking oil
Salt to taste

Directions

1. Wash and cut okra into 1 to 2 inch pieces.
2. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, add chopped shallots. Saute well.
3. Add chilly powder and garam masala powder. Stir for a few minutes. Add okra and mix them well.
4. Fry for 10 to 12 minutes.

Beetroot Thoran

Ingredients

Beetroot (shredded) – 400gms
Sliced shallots – ¼ cup
Green chilies – 3 (chopped)
Shredded coconut – ¼ cup
Ginger – 1’’ piece (chopped)
Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp
Salt to taste
Cooking oil

Directions

1. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, add sliced shallots and saute till it becomes light brown.
2. Add the shredded beetroot, coconut , green chilies, ginger and salt.
3. Cover and cook for a few minutes. Open the lid and stir till the mixture is completely dry. (No need to add water, there is enough water in the beetroot to cook itself.)

Carrot Thoran

Ingredients

Medium sized carrots - 5(grated)
Sliced shallots - ¼ cup
Green chillies - 3(chopped)
Shredded coconut - ¼ cup
Ginger - 1" piece(chopped)
Mustard seeds - ¼ tsp
Cooking oil
Salt to taste

Directions

1. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds,add sliced shallots and saute till it becomes light brown.
2. Add the grated carrot, coconut, green chillies, ginger and salt.
3. Cover and cook for a few minutes. Open the lid and stir till the mixture is completely dry. (No need to add water, there is enough water in the carrot to cook itself.)

SPINACH THORAN

Spinach Thoran

Ingredients

Spinach (chopped) – 5 cups

Sliced shallots – ½ cup

Crushed garlic – 3 cloves

Grated coconut – 1 cup

Cumin powder – ¼ tsp

Green chillies – 2

Turmeric powder – a pinch

Mustard seeds – ½ tsp

Cooking oil

Salt to taste

Directions

1. Grind coconut, green chillies, turmeric powder and cumin into a coarse paste.

2.Combine the chopped spinach with some salt and keep aside.

3.Heat oil in a non stick pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add shallots, garlic, curry leaves and sauté for a few minutes.

4.Add the chopped spinach and mix everything. Cover and cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.

5.Spread out the spinach so that the water evaporates easily. When the water has almost evaporated, add the coconut mixture and combine everything together. Add more salt if needed.

6.Cover the pan and cook on low flame for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally or until the spinach is cooked.

7. Remove the lid and stir fry carefully for another 2-3 minutes so that all water evaporates and the spinach is not soggy.

Vanpayar Thoran

Ingredients

Red gram(vanpayar) – 2 cups
Chopped onion – ½ cup
Grated coconut – ½ cup
Crushed garlic - 2 or 3
Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
Cumin powder – ½ tsp
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Curry leaves
Salt to taste
Cooking oil

Directions

1. Cook the red gram with water separately in a pressure cooker.
2. Mix the cooked red gram with all the other ingredients. Heat oil in the pan and add mustard seeds. Once it splutters add all the ingredients to it. Keep the pan covered and cook in a low flame till it is cooked.
3. Garnish with curry leaves.

Potato Thoran

Ingredients

Potatoes - 2 (medium, finely cut)
Chopped onion - ½ cup
Grated coconut – ¼ cup
Green chillies – 2 (chopped)
Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Cooking oil
Curry leaves
Salt to taste

Directions

1. Peel and cut the potatoes into thin pieces.
2. Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds.
3. Add green chillies and curry leaves and sauté for few seconds.
4. Add chopped onions and sauté for a minute.
5. Add the potatoes and salt and mix well with a spoon and cook it covered until the potato is done.

Chilly Gobi

Ingredients

Cauliflower florets - 2 cups
Refined flour – ½ cup
Corn flour - 1cup
Besan flour – ½ cup
Asafoetida - ½ tsp
Ajinomotto - 1 tsp (optional)
Kashmiri chilly powder - 1 tbsp
Garam masala powder -1 tsp
Cumin powder – ¼ tsp
Red chilly powder – ½ tsp
Egg -1
Onion - 1(medium)
Capsicum – half of one
Chilly sauce
Cooking oil
Salt to taste
Spring onions for garnishing

Directions
1.Cut the cauliflower into florets.
2.Make a batter with the refined flour, besan flour, corn flour, a little water, egg, spices, salt and ajinomotto.
3.The batter should be neither too thick nor too thin.It should be of pouring consistency.
4.Mix thoroughly. Dip the cauliflower in the batter for 20 minutes.
5.Heat the oil in a pan and fry the cauliflower till golden brown over a medium flame.
6. Heat oil in another pan, add the chopped capsicum, onion and sauté. Then add chilly sauce, a pinch of garam masala powder and the fried cauliflower.
7.Serve hot garnished with spring onions.

Mushroom Manchurian

Ingredients

Fresh mushroom – 300gm
Ginger garlic paste – 2tsp
Soy sauce – 1 ½ tsp
Vinegar – 1 tsp
Red chilly powder – 1 tsp
White pepper powder – ½ tsp
Corn flour – 2 tsp
Egg – 1
Choppped green chillies – 1 tsp
Chopped garlic – 2 tsp
Spring onions/coriander leaves for garnishing
Cooking oil
Salt to taste

Directions

1. Marinate mushrooms with soy sauce, salt, chilly powder, pepper powder,vinegar and ginger garlic paste. Set aside for about 3-4 hours.
2. Beat the egg, add rest of the chilly powder, salt and corn flour to it carefully because the mixture should not to be too thick and mix well.
3. Combine the marinated mushrooms with the egg mixture and mix well till all the mushrooms are well coated.
4. Heat the oil in a pan over high flame and deep fry the mushrooms in it, for about one minute.
5. Heat a little oil in another pan and fry the chopped green chillies and garlic for a minute.
6. Add the fried mushrooms to it and fry for about a minute.
7. Garnish mushroom munchurian with chopped spring onions or coriander leaves.

Gobi Manchurian

Ingredients

Gobi (Cauliflower) – 1 medium
Flour (Maida) – ¾ cup
Corn flour – 1tsp
Chopped green chillies – 1 tsp
Garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Ginger paste – 1 tbsp
Finely chopped onions – 1 cup
Finely chopped coriander leaves/spring onions
Soya sauce – 2 tbsp
Tomato ketchup 2-3 tbsp
Pepper powder – ¼ tsp
Salt to taste
Vegetable oil
Ajinomotto - a pinch(optional)

Directions
1. Make a paste of maida, corn flour and salt using water.
2. Take a tsp. of ginger and garlic paste, add it to the paste.
3. Dip the gobi florets in the paste and deep fry till golden brown. Keep aside.
4. Heat oil in another pan and add the left ginger & garlic paste, chopped onions, pepper powder and green chillies to it.
5. Now, mix soya sauce and tomato sauce to it.
6. Add fried Gobi kept aside and mix well. Add salt to taste and garnish it with coriander leaves or spring onions.

Vegetable Barbeque

Ingredients

Capsicum - 2
Broccoli – as required
Small potatoes – 3
Paneer – as required
Canned Pineapple
Onion - 2
Coriander leaves - few
Mint leaves - few
Green chillies -2
Cumin powder – ¼ tsp
Chat masala to taste
Salt to taste

Directions
1. Make green chutney from coriander, mint, green chillies, cumin powder and salt.
2. Hang yogurt in muslin cloth for 2 hours so that the extra water comes out.
3. Mix green chutney, yogurt, chat masala and salt to make the marinade .
4. Cut the vegetables(Capsicum, Onion, Par boiled small potatoes, brocolli) , paneer, canned pineapple into big pieces and marinate them for 3-4 hours.
5. Put them in skewers and grill them.

(Recipe courtesy – Ritu Jain)