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Tag: curry leaves

Spinach with Mustard Seeds

This is a delicious side dish to make with any kind of meal- especially an Indian meal. It is quick with not too many ingredients….

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Sauteed Green Beans with Mustard Seeds

This is a delicious side dish that I made within minutes. The great thing is that it can served with any protein or a rice dish. One of my favorite cuisines is South Indian food- I love the different spices used in these dishes including mustard seeds and curry leaves. I especially love the combination of the two. It creates an amazing, earthy flavor. read more …

Curd (Yogurt) Rice

Curd Rice

I have never made curd rice before- but have eaten it in South Indian restaurants. I realized it was not very hard to make when I put it together the other night in 15 minutes- the key is to have all the ingredients on hand. I even happen to have frozen rice, which was ready in three minutes in the freezer. It is a great side dish or a quick snack…

  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
  • 8 to 9 curry leaves, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons grated ginger
  • 1 tablespoon channa dal
  • 1 tablespoon urad dal
  • ¼ cup grated coconut
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 cups cooked rice
  • 1 cup yogurt

Heat a medium frying pan with coconut oil. Add the mustard seeds, curry leaves, ginger, channa and urad dal. Saute on medium heat till the seeds begin to sizzle. Add the coconut and cilantro. Saute for a minute. Add the rice and salt and mix well. Take off the heat and add the yogurt. Mix well and check for seasonings before serving at room temperature.

Kerala Fry Shrimp

Kerala Fry Shrimp

  • 1 pound medium shrimp, cleaned and deveined

Dry Rub

  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
  • 2 teaspoons salt

Add the spices into a spice grinder and grind to a powder. Sprinkle the spice rub all over the shrimp and marinate in the fridge for 2 to 3 hours.

  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons corn starch

Take the shrimp out of fridge and sprinkle with corn flour.

  • 4 to 5 garlic cloves, peeled and grated
  • 2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and grated
  • 8 to 9 curry leaves, sliced
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped

Heat a wok like pan with the coconut and olive oil. Saute the shrimp in a few batches making sure not to over crowd the pan. Saute for about a minute or two and take out onto a platter. Reheat the pan on a simmer and add the garlic, ginger and curry leaves. Saute on a medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the shrimp and sauté for another few minutes on high heat until shrimp is done. Garnish with cilantro and add salt if necessary. Serve warm.

Green Beans with Potatoes and Coconut

Green Beans and Potatoes with Coconut Delicious Indian dish number three- this one is even better than yesterdays… the coconut comes through loud and clear..

  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
  • 6 to 7 curry leaves, chopped
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 1/3 cup grated coconut (frozen)
  • Salt
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped
  • 2 cups long green beans, cleaned and chopped into ½ inch pieces
  • 4 to 5 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped into ½ inch squares

Heat a large saucepan with coconut oil. Add the mustard seeds and curry leaves and sauté on medium heat for a minute. Add the onion and coconut and sauté on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the salt, turmeric, coriander and cilantro. Saute for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the beans and potatoes. Mix well and lower heat to simmer and cover with lid. Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes. Take lid off and check if the potatoes are tender. Check for seasonings and serve warm.

Shredded Cabbage with Peppers

Shredded Cabbage with Peppers I thought I would finish the week off with a vegetable dish. As I may have mentioned many time before, my husband loves cabbage. I am not a huge cabbage fan, so I don’t find myself picking it up very often at the grocery store. I have to admit, once I cook it, I do love it. I am not sure why I don’t cook it very often.

Anyway, this one is made with sweet peppers and spiced with cumin and mustard seeds. Curry leaves provide a great flavor to the dish as well. Best of all, it is very quick to make… enjoy!
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Indian Style Spinach Polenta

South Indian Fish Curry1 I have to give full credit to my husband for coming up with this idea. While we were discussing what to make for dinner and came up with the fish curry- we were wondering what to serve it with.

My husband loves polenta and he suggested I make it with the fish- but I wasn’t sure since when I think of polenta- Italian cuisine comes to mind… but then I thought, I could make the polenta Indian style. Hmm- as I sat on the train, I began envisioning the polenta. I thought I would start with curry leaves and mustard seeds. Lemon rice came to mind and so I decided to add some nuts for texture. Instead of cooking the polenta with milk and broth, I decided to cook it with just broth and eliminate the cheese. I also wanted to add a vegetable to balance the dish- frozen spinach- perfect!!!

The result was amazing- why didn’t I think of this before??? Sky is the limit when it comes to what all I can add to the polenta. It was delicious with the fish curry- great combination. The spinach was delicious and so were the pistachios- and it was so quick to make.

Next time you are looking for a side dish- think polenta and let your imagination run wild….

  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ½ cup pistachio nuts, chopped
  • 5 to 6 curry leaves
  • 1 tablespoon extra light olive oil
  • 2½ cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup frozen chopped spinach
  • 1 cup fine one minute polenta
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Juice of half a lemon

Heat a medium pan with the olive oil. Add the mustard seeds, nuts and curry leaves. Saute for a minute on medium heat. Add the chicken broth and spinach. Bring to a boil and add salt and polenta. Whisk till thick and smooth. Taste for seasonings and add lemon juice. Serve with fish curry.