Red Capsicum and carrot Chutney ~ Bell Pepper recipe
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My kids are more open to chutneys than sambhar. So I have to come with different vegetable chutneys and here is one of them. Red Bell pepper and carrot chutney.

Ingredients
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Red Bell Pepper - 1 medium size, cut into chunks
Carrot - 1 medium size, cut into chunks
Onion - 1 medium, cut into chunks
Tomato - 1 medium, cut into chunks
Garlic - 1 pod
Ginger - 1 small piece
Red Chillies - 2 or 3 according to taste, spice level

For Tadka -
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp jeera seeds
1 tsp ulundhu
Hing or asafeotida - few splashes
few curry leaves

For Garnish - 1 tsp chopped cilantro

Method
1. Heat oil in a pan, do the tadka and set aside.

2. Pour some more oil in the same pan, and when ready add the red chillies, garlic, ginger one by one and saute for a few seconds. Add the onions and saute for a few minutes. Add the bell pepper, carrot and saute for nearly 5 minutes or until the onion is translucent and bell peppers/carrots are wilted.

4. Add the tomatoes at this point, lower the flame, cover and cook for 5 minutes or at least or until the tomatoes are nicely cooked. Turn off the flame, let it cool and grind to paste.

5. Mix with the tadka and garnish with cilantro. Goes very well with idli, dosa. I also use this as a spread for my bread.

My Experiments with Quinoa ~ Protein rich recipe

Bell pepper Quinoa
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    We all want to be healthy, wealthy and wise. Don't know about being wealthy, but here is a way to be healthy - A quinoa dish. With just a few ingredients and short time, this fragrant dish is ready. Here is a summary of the major health benefits of Quinoa from forbes.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/juliewilcox/2012/06/26/7-benefits-of-quinoa-the-supergrain-of-the-future/

Most important health benefits of quinoa is that all essential proteins are available in the right amount needed for us, similar to eggs. I have read many articles, blogs suggesting quinoa is same as the grain thinai(foxtail millet). Well, I am not sure about that as quinoa is not a crop grown in India, but to me it really does not matter. Why? The nutritional profile of both thinai and quinoa seem to be similar. My grandmother used to make pongal, kanji etc with thinai. Some how that got lost from my mother's generation. So it makes me happy to be picking it up.

Ingredients
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Quinoa - 1 cup uncooked.
Red /orange bell pepper - 1.5 cups finely chopped
scallions - 1/2 cup thinly sliced
garlic - 2 pods
thyme - 1 sprig
Italian flat leaf parsley - chopped , 2 tsp
salt and red chilli powder(paprika) to taste
Curry powder - 1/4 tsp

Method
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1. Combine two cups water and one cup quinoa in a sauce pan, close lid, boil for 20 minutes. Reduce flame after 10 minutes. Fluff with fork when ready.

2. In a saute pan, saute scallions,garlic, thyme, bell pepper. The south Indian twist on this would be to add curry (manjal) powder at this stage. Add salt, red chilly powder to taste. Saute until bell pepper is 3/4 done.

3.Add and mix quinoa. Allow a couple of minutes for the quinoa and bell pepper to marry each other's flavors.

4.Switch off flame, mix with parsley. Pull out the thyme sprig and serve hot.
 

 

Orange Capsicum chutney ~ Bell Pepper recipe

Orange Capsicum Chutney ~ Bell Pepper recipe
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Our family loves this chutney, even my two year old and I am proud mommy when she said "yummy", after tasting it. The most popular south Indian chutney - coconut chutney, while it is a timeless classic we do want a fancy chutney once in a while , don't we? Well, this is my take on it.

Ingredients
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Orange Bell Pepper - 1 medium size, cut into chunks
Onion - 1 medium, cut into chunks
Tomato - 1 medium, cut into chunks
Garlic - 1 pod
Ginger - 1 small piece
Tamarind - 1 small round
Red Chillies - 2 or 3 according to taste, spice level

For Tadka -
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp geera
1 tsp ulundhu
Hing or asafeotida - few splashes
few curry leaves

For Garnish - 1 tsp chopped cilantro

Method
1. Heat oil in a pan, do the tadka and set aside.

2. Pour some more oil in the same pan, and when ready first saute the tamarind.( tamarind in hot oil gives a very distinct flavor to the chutney).

3. Once you see that the tamarind is seared, add the red chillies, garlic, ginger one by one and saute for a few seconds. Add the onions and saute for a few minutes. Add the bell pepper and saute for nearly 5 minutes or until the onion is translucent and bell peppers are wilted.

4. Add the tomatoes at this point, lower the flame, cover and cook for 5 minutes or atleast or until the tomatoes are nicely cooked. Turn off the flame, let it cool and grind to paste.

5. Mix with the tadka and garnish with cilantro. Goes very well with idli, dosa.

6. I use this for rice and as well as a spread for my sandwich.

Tip - When only tomatoes are used i.e, no tamarind, goes better with chapathi.