Capsicum Curry - With Garlic, but no Onion

This is a tasty capsicum curry.  Without onion, but with the flavour of garlic.  A bit of spice, a bit of coconut and some tomato.  Pretty simple to make.  I just loved it.  And let me tell you , I did not make it, but am taking the credit for it since it was in my kitchen :-)

Ingredients:

Capsicum - 4 medium size

Coriander seeds - (dhania ) - 1 ½  tbsp

Cumin seeds (jeera ) - ½  tbsp 

Dry red chilies - 2 big

Fresh / Frozen grated coconut - 1/4 cup

Garlic cloves - 6-8 nos ( these were small in size)

Oil - 2 tbsp

Tomatoes - 2 nos 

Dry roast the cumin, coriander seeds and the dry red chilies till you get that lovely roasted aroma

Grind coarsely with fresh/frozen coconut and garlic

In a wok, heat 2 tbsp of oil

Add cubed capsicum pieces.  Sauté

When the pieces are slightly tender add the ground masala.

Toss till the veggies are coated and the masala also gets another bout of heating.

Add about half cup water, and in the first boil add two medium sized chopped tomatoes.

Salt to taste.  

Keep simmering till you get a slightly dry consistency.

Just make sure the capsicum has a little bite left for a perfect curry

Chili Paneer

An Indo-Chinese dish that A made.  I for one always believed that paneer (cottage cheese ) should not be converted to any Chinese dish. But I think I was proved wrong with this one.

Ingredients:
Paneer - Cut the paneer into small blocks
For the Batter
 of 3-4 tbsp of cornflour , 1 egg (optional), ginger-garlic paste 1/4 tsp, salt, pepper

Capsicum - 1 - sliced
Spring onions 1- chop
Garlic - 4-5 chopped
Green chilies - 1 chopped finely
Soya sauce - 1 tsp
Chili-garlic sauce - 1/2 tsp
Tomato ketchup - 2 -3 tbsp
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Honey - 1/2 - 1 tsp
Vinegar - 1 tsp
Spring onion greens - garnish

Oil for deep frying and another 2-3 tbsp for the curry.

Make a batter with the ingredients mentioned with a little water to coating consistency
Dip paneer into the batter and deep fry on medium heat till golden brown.
Keep aside.

Take a wok
Heat oil.  Add the chopped shallots, garlic and green chilies.
Sauté
Followed by the sliced bell peppers
Once that begins to turn colour ( allow a little bit of crunch to remain if you like it that way ! )
Add the sauces, powders, vinegar and honey
Coat it well.  Keep awhile
Now, the deep fried paneer.
Throw in the spring onion greens.
A quick toss of the pan ( I cannot do this )

And serve.

( All the ingredients here can be varied according to taste and spice-tolerance)

Muhammara

Muhammara is a dip from the Middle Eastern region made from roasted bell peppers and walnuts.  It can also be used as a spread for a sandwich or had as a sauce with kebabs. Usual accompaniment is pita bread.  But we had it with some crunchy breadsticks.

Ingredients:
Red bell peppers - 2 nos
Walnuts - 1/2 cup
Garlic - 2 nos
Bread crumbs - 1/4 cup
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Lime juice - 1 tbsp
Red chili flakes - 1-2 tsp
Olive oil - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Mint leaves for garnish

Roast the skin of the bell peppers - either on direct flame, or on a pan, or place in oven for about 15 mins till the skin gets black spots on them ( quite like the procedure of roasting the brinjal for bharta)
Cool and peel off the skin and remove the stem and the seeds.
Coarsely cut and keep aside.
Toast the walnuts on a pan for a little while
Put all ingredients into a blender and make a paste.  It can remain slightly coarse too.
Drizzle some extra olive oil if you wish
Garnish with mint leaves.

* Ruchik Randap - recipe source

Kadai Bhindi ( Okra curry)

This is a curry that I found on Vah-re-Vah site.  I could not imagine a curry with bell-peppers (capsicum) and okra (bhendi).  I thought and still think it is an odd combination.  So, I looked for other bhendi curries and found one on Rak's Kitchen which turned out to be an adaptation of the Vah Chef's recipe.  Having tried so many recipes from her site I had more faith in the outcome of the dish.  PS - you should check out Vah Chef Sanjay Thumma's site.  The videos are rather quaint and I read that some of them are actually taken by his mother!  

The recipe here has also been slightly modified.  I will give the recipe as I found it on her site with the modifications made ( minor) by me.

Ingredients:

Bhendi - 100 gms
Capsicum - One large or two medium - chop into medium sized pieces
Onion - 2 medium - chopped
Tomato - 2 medium - chopped  ( In additon I also added 3 tbsp of tomato  purée  )
Garlic - 4 pods
Ginger - 1/2 "  ( or substitute with ginger - garlic paste)
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 2-3 tbsp
Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp ( coarsely crush )
Cumin seeds (jeera) - 1 tsp
Red chilie powder - 2 tsp
Garam Masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Cashewnuts - 10-12 - grind to paste ( I omitted this and instead added 2-3 tbsp of cream)
Salt - to taste
Oil - 4-5 tbsp

Wash the bhendi and pat dry and cut into 1/2 " cubes.
Ideally deep fry these so that the stickiness is lost.
I heated oil in a pan and sautéed them - they should retain their colour - this process is to reduce the stickiness of the okra.  Somehow this did not totally happen but I think it did not affect the curry adversely at all.
Keep aside.

Take a pan, add oil and the jeera seeds.  Allow to brown.
Add the crushed coriander seeds
Next the chopped onions.  Allow them to get transparent.
Add the crushed ginger - garlic till the raw flavour disappears.
Followed by the tomatoes and salt ( tip by Rak - this helps getting the tomatoes mushy faster)
Add the garam masala, turmeric, chilie and coriander powder.  I even put in the extra tomato puree
If you are adding cashew paste - add it now
Put in the capsicum pieces, sauté a while
Add in the fried/sautéed bhedi 
Some water depending on how much gravy is required - cover and simmer till the right consistency is achieved
Check for salt, and spice content.  
Mix in the cream.
Remove.

Ideal with rotis.

Would I make this again.  I would especially if you had some leftover bit of capsicum and a few bhendis not really enough for a curry separately.  The combination, which I still think is odd, actually works!! 

Fun with Capsicum Rings

Stuffed capsicum or bell peppers are a meal by themselves.  And when V found these slightly large sized capsicum he remarked it would be ideal for some stuffing.  And I thought why not?  But wanted something that could be had along with an Indian meal, something less filling and so I wondered if I could cut capsicum rings and have a stuffing in them. And found a few ideas and here they are

1.  Capsicum Ring with Potato filling

Capsicum / Bell peppers - 2 nos
( the more colourful the better! )
Filling -
Potato filling - Take a wok, add a little oil, season with cumin, allow to brown, add finely chopped onion, ginger, garlic, saute and then the mashed boiled potato.
Add turmeric, chili, coriander powders ( I even added some chat masala)
Salt to taste.  Mix well.
Cool and your filling is ready

Cut the capsicum into slight thick rings
Put the stuffing into the rings and push and pack it well.  A little extra is better.
I took a pan and smeared some oil on it and placed the stuffed rings in them
Cover and cook on a slow fire.  When brown turn it over.

I then put these into a microwave for a minute.  Just to ensure that the capsicum rings are not really raw.  But this is a matter of personal preference.

Your potato filled capsicum rings are ready.  And they were good!

Tips - Use any filling - cottage cheese would be a great addition, non-vegetarians can use a leftover kheema curry, the vegetarians a soya filling.  You could top it with some grated cheese and grill them.

As you fry them on the pan, the filling comes together and can separate from the ring.  So you really need to stuff it properly.  Maybe you could also try and give it a breadcrumb coating or a cornflour paste dip.  Not sure.  Any ideas?  Because this will be something I am sure I will make often.  It could even serve as a tea-time snack.

Here is another fun-recipe - It looks pretty too!

All you need - Capsicum and Egg.
Make a capsicum ring.
Fry this first lightly on a pan, both sides,  to sear the ring
Then break the egg into it.
The egg white can seep from under the ring, so keep it tightly pressed down on the pan, but if a little seeps it just does not matter.  You can let it be, or just remove it when done.
Cover and allow to cook.
You can keep the egg yolk runny and if you do not want to just pierce it a little and allow to cook
Or once it is a little done, pop into a microwave till the yolk is done - this way you do not need to puncture the yolk and it remains pretty to look at!
Sprinkle salt and coarse pepper.  You can grate cheese on it too.

Yum!

Capsicum Curry with Peanut Gravy

A recipe from Mitho Limdo

I was looking for a different way to cook the bell pepper when I came across this recipe. Quite like the Hyderabadi Mirchi ka salan I think.  And is a nice accompaniment to rotis or rice

Ingredients:

Capsicum -2 – cut in medium size pieces.

Onions - 2 small cut in small pieces ( not diced)

Tomato - 1 chopped

Ginger – ¼” grated

Turmeric – ¼ tsp

Salt to taste

Oil for seasoning

For the sauce

Oil – 1 tsp

Peanuts – ¼ cup

Red chilies – 4-6

Coriander seeds – 1 ½ tsp

Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

Black gram dal (Urad) – ½ tsp

Bengal gram dal ( Chana) – ½ tsp

Sesame (Til) – ½ tsp

Cloves – 2

Tamarind paste – 1 tsp

Jaggery – small piece

Fry the ingredients for the sauce.  Make sure you fry the dals separately otherwise they will tend to get burnt ( it happened in my case – hence the word of caution)!

Cool

Grind to a smooth paste with  little water.

Take a wok.  Heat oil

Sauté  the chopped capsicum and Onion

Add the chopped tomato or tomato paste. Cook further

Add the peanut masala

Salt to taste

Enough water to make into a semi-thick gravy.

Simmer for 5-8 minutes.

Serve!

Capsicum with Gram Flour

When you are tired of making capsicum with onions and tomato or with a coconut-dhania powder masala, try this one.  Simple, easy and a nice change.  

Ingredients

Capsicum - 3 large

Gram Flour (Besan) - 1/4 cup

Oil - 2 -3 tbsp

Chilie powder - to taste ( maybe 1 1/2 tsp)

Coriander powder - 1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Roast the besan in a pan till till you get a nice flavour, so that it loses its raw flavour

Cut the capsicum to small pieces.

In a wok, put the oil. Heat 

Add the mustard

Allow it to splutter

Add the capsicum, Stir and allow it to cook

Add the roasted besan.  Sauté

Add the turmeric, chilie and coriander powder and salt.

If you wish you can sprinkle some water here

Keep on low fire and stir often. 

The besan will turn a golden colour and be crumbly in texture

Remove from heat and serve.

Capsicum with Chana Dal ( split Chick Pea dal)

Capsicum - 1 large - cut into medium sized pieces
Chana dal, - 1/2 cup, washed and soaked for 1/2 hour
Onion - 1 large - slice
Green chilli - 1 slit length-wise, deseed
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp or more according to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbsp
Coconut - grated - 3 tbsp (or even dessicated coconut powder)
Coriander leaves
Salt
Oil

Cook chana dal with a drop of oil in the pressure cooker, till soft but not mushy
Heat oil in a wok.
Add sliced onions and cook till they are translucent.
Add chopped capsicum, green chilli, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt.
Saute a while till the capsicum gets slightly tender.
Add the cooked chana dal and mix well.
Now add coconut powder
Add a little water. Simmer for 5 minutes
Garnish with coriander.
Enjoy with rotis.

This recipe was found here

A spread cooked by Laku and Bobo

* The desert recipe is right at the end of this post*
Two of them cooked dinner for us last week. The meal started off with a cold pasta salad. It had macaroni, cucumber, boiled potato, capsicum, tomato, tossed with olive oil, ketchup, oregano and chilli flakes. Very nice especially on a hot summer day.





This was followed by stuffed capsicum - the filling was vegetarian - soya granules, peas, potato flakes and other masala for a tasty bite. Recipe can be got here




This was followed by a rich mushroom corn with white sauce, which was demolished with garlic bread.









Then for some yummy dessert.



I only know that these ingredients were used - a sauce of coffee, chocolate, cream, butter, jam and Marie/digestive biscuits, topped with vanilla ice cream. Once frozen and cut the layers were clearly visible. And it dissolved in the mouth and slid down the gullet and settled on the already existing layers of fat. But who cared!

Recipe for the Chocolate Biscuit Cake - (sent by Laku)
Layer 1

Biscuits- Marie or digestive. Nothing that already is sweet by itself.
2 to 4 tbsp- Coffee powder
Jam (Most flavours except Marmalade can be used)


Layer 2
1 cup- Fresh Cream
100 gms Butter
4 to 8 heaped tbsp of Cocoa/ Drinking Chocolate
Powdered Sugar

Topping
Thin layer of Vanilla Ice cream


1. Take a glass dish. Preferably square for easy arranging.
2. Make a coffee decoction and dip the biscuits in. Long enough for it to soak, but make sure they don't get too soggy and break.
3. Place one layer of the biscuits as a base without leaving any gap. If need be, break the biscuit in half for the centre bit.
4. Spread a thin layer of jam over the biscuits.
5. Now spread a generous helping of the mixture with all the ingredients in Layer 2.
6. Keep making such layers in alternation till the dish is almost full, making sure that the last layer is the chocolate mixture.
7. Spread a thin layer of vanilla ice cream on top of the cake.
8. Cover with cling wrap/aluminium foil and freeze without disturbing the same for at least 2 hours.
9. The dessert is ready when you can cut through it with a sharp knife like a cake.
10. Enjoy cold.