Indian Okra Fry/ Crispy Bhindi Fry Recipe

In our house okra is one of our favorite vegetable. Thankfully we get this all the year around in our grocery stores and so there is no dearth of okra related recipes in our household. It regularly makes its way onto our table in the form of Okra raita, okra coconut curry, Spicy bhendi curry etc. But this simple and easy okra fry is our all time favorite.  We like the okra in this fry to be crispy (not mushy) and so I do a trick while cooking this. I first cook the okra/bhindi/lady’s finger until it turns brown and…

Chettinad Potatoes

Inspiration as they say comes from unexpected places and this recipe is a testimonial to that. Few weeks ago, I was looking for some North Indian styled recipe using spinach on Sanjeev Kapoor’s website, hoping to find some inspiration and ideas, but few searches and clicks later I landed on a recipe of Spicy Tempered Potatoes called Urulai Chettinadu with which I was pretty impressed. Strange! I would have never imagined searching for Chettinad and Sanjeev Kapoor at the same time.  Here is a good description of what Chettinad cuisine is on Sig’s blog. This cuisine originated in the southern…

Capsicum Masala Recipe/ Bell pepper coconut curry (dry)

While there are different ways of making capsicum curries, this way of making capsicum/bell pepper curry is my all-time favorite. The pungent capsicum is simmered in a coconut masala, perfectly balancing sweet, spicy, salty, and sour flavors. This combination transforms the bell pepper into a captivating dish. Preparing this Capsicum Masala is a breeze. While the onions and capsicums cook in a pan, I quickly grind the coconut masala and mix it with the sautéed vegetables. Since everything cooks rapidly, this dish is ready in no time and tastes incredible. Pair it with rice and dal, like “Daali thoy,” and…

Ghee Rice

If you are looking for a rice recipe that is easy to prepare, rich in taste, aromatic and crowd pleasing then Ghee Rice is right for you. Generous use of ghee (clarified butter) along with cashews, raisins makes this dish rich and festive. This pairs well with a spicy gravy based side dish. Few weeks ago we had some friends for dinner and this was one of our menu items. The credit for preparing this rice dish goes to DH. He is a good cook, who has a knack for cooking without taking any short cuts. While I chicken out…

Teppal Ambat (Potato Curry in Triphal spice)

Teppal / Tirphal also called as Sichuan pepper is a rare spice Indian resembling a bigger version of black pepper. This is predominantly used in Maharashtra and coastal Konkan cooking.  If you are looking at this spice for the first time, then you might ignore it as it so ordinary looking with no distinct flavor or aroma of its own. But looks can be so deceiving and this spice goes on to prove just that. The minute you crush about 6-9 of them in water you begin to see the change and start getting that distinct aroma. The final magic…

Dosa Recipes / Dosa Varieties

I had announced the Dosa Month @ RedChillies in the month of March, and during that month I had posted only Dosa (Indian savory  pancakes)recipes. To us Dosa +chutney is comfort, go to food and we love Dosas of any type. I did not get the opportunity to post all the Dosas recipes that I had planned for this event. Being the ardent Dosa lover, I am pretty sure I will be doing another Dosa month soon, so please stay tuned for that. OK, now for the roundup. Sorry for the delay in posting the roundup. Of course there are…

Carrot Kosambari/ Carrot Lentil Salad

Kosambari is a traditional salad in Karnataka. It is prepared during major festivals, auspicious occasions, and marriages and even offered as ‘prasada’ in temples. This is also called as Koshimbir in Konkani and Maharashtra and is very easy to prepare. Kosambari does not involve any cooking, it is basically a mix of soaked lentils and vegetable of choice (cucumber or carrot or both) with right seasoning.  It is healthy, high in protein and also has a cooling effect on the body. This is one salad, we love to have during summers. I have already posted the Cucumber Kosambari recipe here.…