Stir-fry Watercress(Halim Shak) & Radish Green (mulo shak)

Wonderful Watercress…Mother Nature’s idea
for the perfect natural multi-vitamin, body cleansing detoxicant, and curative powerhouse...an ancient green traced back to Persians, Greeks, and Romans....a powerful antioxidant....this green weed/aquatic plant carries a peppery and mild tangy flavour.
Watercress is a better source of vitamins C, B1, B6, K, E, Iron, Calcium, Magnesium, Manganese, Zinc, and Potassium than Apples, Broccoli, and Tomatoes…It is a true SUPER-VEGGIE!
By weight, Watercress has more calcium than milk, more vitamin C than an orange and more absorbable Iron than Spinach (spinach is loaded with Oxlactic/Oxalic acid, which blocks the natural absorption of iron)
For more information on Watercress visit this and this link.
watercress is claimed to be of assistence with :
cancer relief and cure, blood purifier, skin clarifier, kidney problems, kidney stones, infections, infertility and many more...

Pic. Source : www.watercress.com

Nomenclature
Botanical: Lepidum sativum
English: Cress, Watercress
Sanskrit: Chandrasura
Hindi: Chansaur, Jal-Kumbhi
Bengali: Halim; (Jal) Halim-saak
Gujarati: Asaliya
Marathi : Ali
Tamil: Ativerai
Telegu : Adiyaalu
(sorry, friends....before I've reffered watercress in bengali as Kolmi saak, which is wrong, after lots of research, I've found out from some right source, that It is known as halim shak, I've updated all the names)

Now to the recipe.....I like to cook watercress this simple way without much spices..............


Ingredients :
Watercress : 1 or 2 bunch
Eggplant/bringal : 1/2 cup (cubed)
Dry red chilli : 1(break in half)
Black cumin seed/kalonji : 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder : 2 tsp.
Green chilli : 1 (chopped)
Oil : 2 tblsp.
Salt to taste

Method :

• Wash watercress bunch under running tap. Drain and then chop in small pieces.
• Heat oil in a pan, when oil is hot almost smoking, add dry red chilli and kalonji seeds. When chilli turns brown, add green chillies and chopped up watercress and eggplant. Stir, at this time, watercress will release little amount of water. Let the water evaporate, then add salt and turmeric, mix well.
  
• Stir for -3 minutes , then add 1/3 cup water to cook. Cover the pan and in medium flame let it cook. When water dries up, add salt to taste. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes. You are done.

Serve hot with plain rice...once you taste it, you'll fall in love with this green vege.

Stir-fry radish green(mulo shak bhaja)

Radish green is also a good source of Iron and taste great. I make radish green in the same manner as watercress. Use the green part of radish(chopped), some chopped radish, bringal/eggplant and spices are same as above recipe. Also cook in the same manner. Taste great with white rice.

Amaranth, another superfood, loaded with minerals and vitamins..for recipe and to know the health benefits of amaranth, click here.
All these green, totally nutritious recipes are going to a great event SWC : Cooking with Green started by Lakshmi of Taste of mysore and this time hosted by Sowmya of Creative saga

A complete meal with beetroot chapati(beetroot flat bread)

The Indian flat bread which is popularly known as chapati, is made out of Atta or whole wheat flour, is made by grinding the whole wheat kernel which is full of bran and germ. It is a daily food item in every Indian household like mine. This time to make it more healthier, I made my chapati dough with grated beetroot. We all know the health benefits of beetroot. Beetroot are an excellent source of folic acid and a very good source of manganese, potassium and fiber.
There are many methods of making this chapati. Some does it with boiled beetroot, too. But I think using fresh beetroot in chapati dough is much healthier option as it will retain all the valuable nutrients in it. I made it more healthier not frying it like a paratha but just brushing up a little oil. And the end result, a soft, red colored delicious chapati which you can just eat itself. I served it with simple chana dal and beet-gajar-er charchari(beet-carrot fry) from Sandeepa.



Ingredients :
Whole wheat flour/Atta : 3 cups, plus a little extra for dusting
Beetroot : 2 (small)
Black cumin seed(kalonji) : 1 tsp.
Salt : 1 tsp.
Black pepper/red chilli powder : 1 tsp.
Butter : 1" cube/ Oil : 1 tblsp.
Lukewarm water : as needed to bind the flour
Oil : for brushing

Method :

• Grate beetroot finely. Take the flour in a large mixing bowl. Add salt, kalonji, black pepper. mix them well and then rub in the butter or oil finely. Add the grated beetroot. Squeeze out the juice from the beetroot before adding it and add the juice in the flour. Mix everything together.
• Now add lukewarm water little at a time and mix until you have a soft dough. Transfer to aflat surface and knead well until the dough is smooth and pilable. Cover it with a damp cloth and allow to rest for 20-30 minutes.
• Make small balls out of the dough. Flatten each ball by pressing them between your palms and keep on a flat surface. Dust with little flour and roll it out to an 7 in. diameter circle.
• Preheat a tawa/griddle or a wide frying pan over medium heat and place the rolled out breat on it. Cook for 30 sec. and turn it over. Now brush the top surface with little oil. Turn it over again and brush the other side with oil. Cook until browned on both sides.

For Chana Dal with green peas, you need :
Chana dal : 1 cup
Green peas : 1/3 cup
dry red chilli : 1
Bay leaf : 1
Cardamom : 2
Cloves : 2
Cumin seed(jeera) : 1 tsp.
Green chilli : 1 (chopped)
Dessicated coconut : 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder : 1 tsp.
Red chilli powder : 1 tsp.(optional)
Sugar : 1 tsp.
salt to taste
Oil : 2 tblsp.

Method :

• Soak chana dal in hot water for 4 hours. Pressure cook it until soft. Add 1/2 cup warm water(This is a semi-liquid dal, so don't add much water-adjust with your quantity) to the dal and add little salt, turmeric, red chilli powder and 1 tsp of sugar in the dal and cook for 2-3 min. in the cooker. Set aside.
  
• Heat oil in a pan, when hot but not smoking, add dry red chilli, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin seeds. When they turn brown, add green chilli and coconut, stir for a minute, then add the cooked dal. Lastly add gren peas. In Medium heat, let it cook for 2-3 minutes. Adjust the salt and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

For Beet-gajar-er charchari recipe, click here. I added a potato too to increase the quantity, tasted great with beetroot chapati. Thanks Sandeepa for sharing the recipe.
Sending this yummilicious red(my favorite food color) thali to Curry Leaf who is hosting FIC:Favorite this month, event started by Sunshinemom of Tongue Ticklers.

Potato & Shrimp Fry

I'll share a quick and delicious side dish today. This tastes great with any lentil(dal) dishes or just with plain hot rice. My mom used to make this whenever we had shrimp at home.



Ingredients :
Shrimp(small or medium) : 10-12
Potato : 1(small)
Onion : 1(small)
ginger-garlic paste : 1 tsp.
Green chilli: 1/red chilli powder : 1 tsp.
Tomato : 1(small)
Turmeric powder : 1 tsp.
salt to taste
Oil : 2 tblsp.
Fresh coriander leaves for garnishing

Method :

• Cut potatoes in small pieces. Chop onions, green chillies and tomatoes finely. Wash shrimp and rub with a pinch of salt and turmeric. Keep it aside for 10 minutes.
• Heat whole oil in a pan, fry the shrimps until light brown(about 2-3 min. on each sides) on both sides. Do not over fry shrimp. It will get hard and won't taste good. Keep aside. Cut in small pieces.
  
• In the same oil, fry potatoes till tender. Keep aside and in the same oil, add onions and fry till soft, add green chillies(if using) and ginger-garlic paste, saute for a while, then add tomatoes. Stir fry for another minute or two. Now it's time to add shrimp and potatoes.
  
• Add a pinch of turmeric, red chilli powder(if using) and salt to taste. Stir and mix everything together. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
  

Serve definitely hot, otherwise it won't taste the same.

Palong Shak-er Charchari (Spinach with Mix-veg)

Spinach, the leading ingredients in this recipe is known in the nutrition world as a “Power packed” food or "Super Food", is packed to the brim with essential nutrients. Unfortunately, it’s also known as a slimy, smelly vegetable in the "Kid's World". They will refuse to eat, even when you threaten to ground them. Luckily, my daughter loves all green leafy vegetables. Thank God for that.
This green leafy vegetable doesn't need any introduction. It has a long list of nutritional benefits. This food is low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Niacin and Zinc, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Copper and Manganese. Each of these nutrients plays a crucial role in our bodies health, from maintaining bone structure, preventing neural tube defects, assisting in red blood cell production, regulating our heartbeat, fighting free radicals. Eating spinach feeds a healthy body. Spinach is also a great source of lutein and zeaxanthin, two carotenoid phytonutrients that are important for healthy eyes.
V.Important fact about Spinach :
Iron and calcium in plant foods are not highly absorbed by the body. Spinach contains a chemical called oxalic acid, which binds with iron and calcium and reduces the absorption of these minerals. To improve iron absorption, spinach should be eaten with vitamin C-rich foods such as orange juice, tomatoes, or citrus fruit or combine with vitamin C rich vegetables.
If you want to know which foods contain Vitamin C, click here

So this is one of the way I make my spinach with other vitamin C rich veges, in bengali cuisine we call it
Palong shak(spinach)-er Charchari............
Charchari is a bengali cooking style where one or more vegetables, sometimes stalks of leafy greens are also added, are cooked with very few spices and with a phoron(tempering). The bone of large fish like bhetki or chitol cab ne made into a charchari called Kanta-charchari, kanta means fish-bone.


Ingredients :
Spinach : a bunch
Potatoes : 1 (cut into cubes)
Sweet potato : 1 (cut into cubes)
cauliflower : 1/2 cup (cut in small pieces)
Pumpkin : 1/2 cup (cut into cubes)
Augergine/bringal : 1 (cut into cubes)
Radish : 1/2 cup (cut into cubes)
Green peas : 1/ 3 cup
Onion : 1 (sliced)
Tomato : 1(chopped)
Green chilli : 1 or 2 (as per tolerance level)
Dry red chilli : 1 (break into 2)
Panch phoron: 1 tblsp. (a mixture of fennel, cumin, black cumin, Mustard & fenugreek seeds-mix each of same amount)
Turmeric Powder : 1 tsp.
Red chilli powder : 1 tsp.
Sugar : 1 tsp.
Salt to taste
Mustard or any other Oil : 2 tblsp.
Vadi : 1/2 cup (crisp when fried, are made of different lentils, available in Indian grocery stores-check here how to make at home)

Method :

• Spinach grows in sandy soil, so wash it thoroughly to get rid of the grainy, sandy particles. Tear off the stem. Cut the leaves in 1 inch or longer pieces and place them in a large bowl of water. Gently wash leaves, and let the sand drift to the bottom of the bowl. Remove leaves from the water, and repeat the process 1 or 2 times with fresh water until the leaves are clean.
• Cut the other veegtables into cube like pieces and also wash them.
  
• Heat oil in a pan, fry the vadis till brown and keep them aside.
• In the same oil when the oil is hot but not smoking, add dry red chill first, followed by panch phoron, immidiately add all the other vegetables except spinach. Add little salt and turmeric and give it a good stir.
  
• Then add tomatoes, green chilli, red chilli powder, sugar and mix well. Stir for 2-3 minutes. Then pour about 2/3 cup of water to cook the veges. Cover the lid and let it cook, when the veges are almost done and water has almost dried, add the spinach and green peas.
• Cover the lid again. After a minute or two, open the cover and mix well altogether. Dry all the water and add salt if needed. Remove from heat.
• Crush the vadis with back of a spoon and sprinkle them all over the spinach curry.
  

Serve hot with hot, hot plain rice....enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sending this awesome easy-to-make nutritious dish to Mahimma who is hosting 15 minutes cooking event @ Indian Vegetarian Kitchen
Also sending to another great event @ Sowmya's Creative saga, who is hosting SWC :Cooking With Greens, event created by Lakshmi of Taste of Mysore. If you havn't sent her your favorite green recipe, do it now...event deadline is June 6

Mee Goreng - Stir-fried Veg. Noodles

Mee goreng, is a very famous dish in South-East Asia, especially in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Goreng means fried and mee means noodles. It is made with thin yellow noodles fried with onion, fried tofu, chili either with vegetables or chicken stripes or shrimp or egg or can be made as combination of all. Basically, it's a stir fried noodles. This recipe is only with vegetables. I made this noodles with famous Maggi noodles. This is a very quick-fix meal, ideal for any lazy dinner or lunch.


Ingredients :
Maggi Noodles : 2 sachets
Potato : 1 (sliced, lengthwise)
Carrot : 1 (sliced, lengthwise)
Cauliflower : 4-5 florets (chopped)
Capsicum : 1 (sliced, lengthwise)
Cabbage : 1/2(Sliced, lengthwise)
Spinach : 1 cup (chopped)
Onion : 1 (medium, sliced)
Ginger : 1/2" (chopped finely)
Garlic : 2 (chopped finely)
Raw peanuts : 1/2 cup(optional)
Fresh red/green chilli : 2-3(chopped)
Light soy sauce : 1tsp.
Vinegar : 1 tsp.
Hot chilli sauce : 1 tblsp.
Tomato Ketchup : 1 tblsp.
Oil : 3 tblsp.
Sugar : 1 tsp.
Black pepper & Salt to season

Method :

• Boil noodles as per instruction. Drain under running water.Keep aside.
  
• Fry the raw peanuts until dark brown and keep aside. I love to add peanuts in my noodles.
  
• Heat 1 tblsp. oil in a wok, add thinly sliecd potatoes, carrots, cauliflower and capsicum. Stir well and cover the lid and let it cook. When veggies are tender, lastly add cabbage and spinach. Cover with lid for 2-3 minutes. When tender, remove from the heat and set aside.
  
• In the same wok, heat rest of the oil. Add onions, ginger, garlic and fresh chilli, stir for 1-2 minutes. Don't let them change the colour. Then add soy sauce, vinegar, hot chilli sauce, ketchup, sugar and a pinch of salt. Stir for a minute, then add fried veggies, fried peanuts and noodles.
  
• Toss everything very well. Season with salt and black pepper. Heat through and serve hot garnishing with red chilli flakes or fresh red chilli.
  

"5 Things I love about being a mom" meme

Hope all the mothers around the world had a blast on Mother's day. Meera of enjoy Indian Food has tagged me with "5 Things I love being a Mom" meme, which is a thread started by Her Bad Mother, who wanted to talk with worldwide moms' through this "Virtual World Tour". I totally forgot about it, it came to my mind again on Mother's day. So I thought to do it now when my emotion is flying high in the sky, just after being pampered by my daughter on Mother's day. It is not really easy to pen down 5 things I love being a mother. I love many things of motherhood, but to be honest, some days I just feel the opposite, after spending a long day with two over-active toddlers and a going-to-be-teenager. Yes, I am proud mother of a 11 years old girl and 2 years old twin boys.

So now to the point :
1. First and foremost, I love the fact that God has chosen me to be the mother of 3 human beings. He has given me the opportunity to bring 3 lives to this wonderful world. I can never forget the moment I gave birth to my daughter and nurse gave her to me and she looked at me with her fully opened eyes as she knows that among all those people I am her mother. It was the most happiest moment of my life.
2. I love how being a mother has changed me as a person. I have become more tolerant, patient, sensitive and forgiving.
3. I love to be an adult and a kid simultaneously. I am adult when they need guidance and support in their lives and kid when they need friends to play with. I love to play with my kids whenever I have time. I love to babytalk with my toddlers. I love getting hugs and drooly kisses (from my toddlers) from them.
4. I love to teach them every aspects of life. Being a mother is a huge responsibility. I love to teach them all the good habits and manners I have learnt from my parents.
5. Finally, I love to dress up my kids. It's like playing with your dolls. They will let you play anyway you want to but not for long. My daughter dresses up her way from when she is 5. Anyway, I love that part of motherhood.

Here are the rules :
Write a post of your own thought about "5 things you like being a mom" and then tag 5 moms from all over the world. (some from your own country, at least one mom from another country-if you don't know any, Google is a good resource, google any country name and write 'mom' in their blog search function). Make sure you let them know that you've tagged them and link my post and HBM and leave a comment.
Now I would like to tag my 5 blogger friends.............

1. Soma of ecurry from Texas, USA

2. Lakshmi of Taste of Mysore from Singapore

3. Alka of Sindhi Rasoi from Mumbai, India

4. Arundhuti of Gourmet Affair from Kolkata, India

5. Priya of priya's Easy & tasty recipes from France

Any mom whoever want to do this meme, are more than welcome!!

Happy Mother's Day with Watermelonade

"All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother"---- Abraham Lincoln

Here is a TOAST to all the mothers out there to wish you A VERY HAPPY MOTHER'S Day. Especially, wish a very HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to my MOM...You are the most precious person in my life, because of you I am today whoever I am. I know she won't be much happy today as both of her daughters are far away from her, all we can do, only wish her. Missing u a lot today ma, when my daughter is pampering me, trying to make me happy in what way she can. I couldn't do much except wishing you by phone.
Sorry, I couldn't post yesterday to wish you all, as I was busy celebrating two occasions together, my wedding anniversary and mother's day. I get two treat in one day. My daughter made me this WATERMELONADE(she named it so), with two of her favorite things, watermelon and lime. And I relaxed a sunny afternoon with her watermelonade, Thanks sweetheart.

Here is how she made it :
2 cups cubed watermelon
Juice of 2 lime
Sugar to taste
Ice cubes
Few lime slices

• In a blender, blend together watermelon cubes and lime juices.
• Dilute with water. Pour in serving glasses, add sugar according to taste.
  
• Serve ice cubes and lime slices on each glass.

Beat the summer heat with this cool drink and enjoy.............................

WHB#182 - Stir-fry Amaranth w/eggplant

For this edition of Weekend Herb Blogging(WHB#182), I want to feature a green plant, AMARANTHUS TRICOLOR or Red Leaf Vegetable Amaranth, commonly known as Chinese Spinach, Red Calaloo(caribbean), Joseph's Coat, Hon-toi-moi(chinese), tampala etc. It comes under Amaranthaceae (pigweed) family. In India, Amaranth is known as "rajeera" (the king's grain).
Amaranth has been recognised as a miracle grain, a supergrain as it has the essential elements which are missing from wheat, oats and rice. But here I'm featuring the leaves of Amaranth, which is equally nutritious .
Another variety of Amaranth :

source : http://www.koanga.org.nz

Appearance:
This plant is showy enough for blower beds with its colorful appearance. The medium green oval leaves are overlaid with burgundy red stars that make this plant look a bit like coleus.
Varieties :
Of the 60 or so species of this plant, not all varieties of amaranth are cultivated to be eaten. Certain varieties appear as weeds, while others are used for ornamental purposes and have vibrant red, purple, orange, pink, green or white leaves.
Nutritional Notes :
Amaranth (plant and seeds) has very nutritious properties, especially in its high content of protein, calcium, folic acid and Vitamin C. Popped amaranth seeds provide a good source of protein, which can satisfy a large portion of the recommended protein requirements for children and can also provide approximately 70% of necessary calories. Amaranth also has
abundant lysine, an essential amino acid that is low in other grains. It contains double the lysine of wheat, triple that of corn and equal to the amount found in milk. The leaves can be used as vegetables. These leaves form part of the edible greens and vegetables group and contain a vitamin called folic acid, which is an essential vitamin for the whole family and most importantly for women in their reproductive years. Amaranth leaves contain more iron than spinach. In addition, it protects against ovarian cancer, as well as depression and heart disease. Overall, Amaranth greens are rich in mineral (calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese) and vitamins (vitamin A, vitaminB6, vitamin C, riboflavin and foliate). It is low in saturated fat and has no cholesterol and sugar.
Please read this article to know more about Amaranth.

The Amaranth Edible Red Leaf, 'Amaranthus tricolor', is a heat loving summer green that is even more nutritious than spinach or beet greens. The flavorful foliage has a hearty spinach flavor that is sweet and slightly tangy. Amaranth can be steamed, stir fried, or sauteed.
Now this is a very simple and quick to make recipe, we cook in Bengal (Kolkata), a state east of India for most of the green leaves without lots of spices and ingredients. It is served as a side dish with hot rice. In Bengal, our meal must start with a green leafy vegetable or with something bitter(bittergourd curry-Shukto), then followed with some lentil, fish or meat dish.

Stir-fry Amaranth with Eggplant

Ingredients :
A bunch of Amaranth leaves
Eggplant : 1 (small)
Dry red chilli : 1
Black cumin seeds : 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder : 2 tsp.
Green/red chilli : 1
Oil : 2 tblsp.(tablespoon)
Salt to taste









Method :

• Trim the whole bunch of amaranth leaves 2 inches from the root. Wash the bunch 2-3 times in a big bowl, as leaves often contain loads of mud and dust particles.
• Take the whole bunch together or half at a time and chop in 1/2 " pieces. Cut eggplants in small cube like pieces.
• Heat oil in a pan, temper with dry red chilli and black cumin seeds, wait for 2 minutes, When red chilli turns dark and you smell the pungent smell of black cumin seeds, throw chopped amaranth leaves and eggplant.
  
• At this point, it will leave some amount of water. Wait till water evaporates, them add turmeric, green chilli and salt. Stir for a 2-3 minutes. Add 1/3 cup of water and cover the pan, lower the heat to medium.
• When water dries up, check the seasoning. If needed, add and stir for a minute. You are done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  

Enjoy with hot plain rice...............

Did You Know?

• In ancient Greece, amaranth was considered a sacred plant that was thought to have special healing powers. The plant, a symbol of immortality, was used to decorate images of gods and tombs.
• The flowers of the Hopi Red Dye amaranth plant were once used by Hopi Indians as the source of a deep red dye. This dye has since been replaced with the dye known as Red No. 2 in North America.

Information Source : from here and here
This edition of Weekend Herb Blogging which is hosted by
Chris of Mele Cotte, WHB is original brainchild
of Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen

Okra in roasted sesame and poppy seed sauce

Okra is known as Bhindi in India, and also referred to as Ladies' Fingers because of its shape. Okra is highly nutritional vegetable. It is,

• Low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium, low in calorie
  
• High in Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Thiamin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Manganese, Protein, Riboflavin, Niacin, Iron, Zinc and Copper

The health benefits of Okra :
Okra is full of valuable nutrients, nearly half of which is soluble fiber in the form of gums and pectins. Soluble fiber helps to lower serum cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart disease. The other half is insoluble fiber which helps to keep the intestinal tract healthy, thus decreasing the risk of some forms of cancer, especially colon cancer.

Okra is very common vegetable in Indian diet, has several recipes from different regions of India. I think, in which way you cook this vege, it'll taste great, That's why, I love this vegetable so much. This recipe I found in one Indian cookbook by Mridula Baljekar, one England based Chef and cookbook writer, I want to share this recipe with you today...it is something very different and delicious. This is an onion-garlic free recipe as many people in India do not use onion and garlic during religious festivals. But you won't miss those ingredients in this reciep..try out sometime..........I added few ingredients, like tomatoes in the recipe and potatoes with okra to increase the quantity.




Ingredients :
Okra : 10-12 pods
Potato : 1 (medium)- optional
Tomato : 1/2 (medium)
Black mustard seeds : 1/2 tsp.
Cumin seeds : 1/2 tsp.
Sesame seeds : 2 tblsp.(tablespoon)
White poppy seeds : 1 tblsp.
Dessicated coconut : 2 tblsp.
Dry red chilli : 1
Oil : 2 tblsp.
Salt to taste

Method :

• Heat a non-stick tawa/griddle over medium heat and dry-roast sesame and poppy seeds, stirring constantly, until they are a shade darker. Transfer them to a plate and return the pan on heat. Add the dry chilli(broken up in 2) and coconut and roast them, until coconut turns a light-brown colour and dry chillies turn dark. Transfer them to another plate and let them cool.
  
• When cool, using a coffee mill, grind all the roasted ingredients together until smooth. Keep aside.
  
• Wash the okras, top and tail them and cut them each into 2-3 pieces(about 1") depending on their size. If using potatoes, cut them lengthwise in 1/2" thick pieces.
  
• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan, add mustard seeds. As soon as they begin to pop, add cumin seeds. Follow with the okra, potatoes and little salt. Stir-fry for 2 min. and add chopped tomatoes. Stir for another 1-2 minutes. At this moment, add 1/2 cup of water, reduce the heat and close the lid. Cook for 6-7 minutes or until they are cooked.
  
• Stir the roasted ground spices into the okra and potatoes until they are fully coated with them. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve as a side dish with plain rice or chapati or parantha.
  

Sending this easy-to-cook okra side dish to Mahimaa who is hosting 15 minute cooking event @Indian Vegetarian Kitchen, events deadline is MAY 20th...
On another note, My dear friend Lakshmi of Taste of Mysore has given me this "I Love Your Blog" award. Thank you so much, Lakshmi. I love your blog, too.
I would like to pass this award to all Indian Food-bloggers, who devotes their heart and soul to their blogs and share their creations with us all....I love all of yours blogs..feel free to pick this up..this award is all yours...

Handy Tips, Links & Basic recipes

Indian cooking Made easy(Basic recipes)

Want to know more about Indian Cuisine, cooking terms, ingredients used in cooking, this links will surely help you..................

How to make Paneer at home ?

How to make Khoya at home ?

How to make Ghee (Clarified Butter) at home ?

How to make Dahi (Yoghurt) at home ?

How to make Indian Tea?

Food measurement & Conversion

Description Of Indian Kitchenware

Glossary of Indian food & cooking terms

Helpful Links

To know your food more, what vitamins/minerals they contain click here



Helpful Handy Tips in and around the kitchen/House:

1. To remove oil stains from woollen clothes, apply a little curd over the area and wash it after some time. The stains will vanish
2. Don't throw away eggshells. Crumble them finely and use them as a calcium supplement for your potted plants
3. If you want quick relief from a cold, mix in a tbsp. little honey, little ginger juice, little lemon juice and a pinch of black pepper, follow it up with some warm water. Do this thrice a day and the cold will disappear in no time. This also works in children
4. For tastier and fluffier omelettes, add a little gram flour while beating the eggs
5. While boiling cracked eggs, add one teaspoon of vinegar to the water and the eggs will not leak
6. If you feel there is some excess oil in fried vegetables, sprikle some gram flour over it. Gram flour absorbs the excess oil and makes vegetable more tastier
7. To remove turmeric stains from plastic vessels, rub them with little gram flour(besan) before washing
8. To remove rust strain from fabric : lay strained part of the fabric over few layers of paper towel(will act as a blotter and will absorb the rust). Rub fresh lemon juice over the strained area and set the fabric with paper towel in the sun to dry. The strain will disapper. Launder as usual.
9. To remove Tea or Coffee strain from clothes, use Vinegar or Baking Soda. Mix 1 tablespoon vinegar in I big cup of water and spray on the strain. Rub and then wash and launder with your usual detergent Or Sprinkle 1 pinch of baking soda on the spot or strain. 
10. To remove butter, oil or ghee strain from clothes, drop little shampoo or dish washing liquid on the strain and launder as usual. Strain will vanish.
11. To remove tomato ketchup strain from clothes, use normal detergent and cold water. If it is on white clothes, bleach can be used.
12. To remove blood strain from clothes, rub with regular salt and cold water. If it is too dark, try with shampoo or Amonia solution.
13. To remove wine strain from clothes, at first wash your cloth with regular detergent. Mix 2 tablespoon vinegar in 1 cup water and rub the spot with it. Then wash cloth again with regular detergent and wash in cold water and dry.
14. To unclog your kitchen or bathroom sink, first pour 1/2 cup baking soda in the mouth of the sink. Then pour 1/2 cup white vinegar in the sink and close the mouth. Wait for 5-10 minutes, then pour 2-3 glasses of hot water in the sink. Blockage will be cleared in minutes.
15. To remove the food smell from microwave, drop 2 pieces of lime in big bowl and warm it for 1 minute. Then let it cool inside the microwave. When you will take the bowl out, odour will vanish.