Tomatoes in a Coconut gravy

It was just one of those days packed with work and no time or energy to make an elaborate dinner. That's when one of these quick gravy recipes come in handy. One such is this Tomato curry, simple yet flavorful and comes together in minutes. Also happens to be hubby's favourite.

You will need:

4 medium sized Tomatoes, cubed

1 large onion, sliced

1 tbsp Oil

1 tsp Mustard seeds

1 tsp Urad Dal

1 tsp Chana Dal

A few curry leaves

Fresh chopped cilantro for garnish

½ tsp Tamarind paste

A small piece of jaggery

Salt to taste

To grind into a paste:

2 tbsp Split dalia ( Hurgadale)

6 Byadige red dry chillies (for color)

4 Guntur red dry chillies (for heat)

½ cup fresh grated coconut

Powder the dalia and dry red chillies first. Then add the coconut and little water and blend to a smooth paste. Set aside.

Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds and when it begins to splutter, add the urad and chana dals. Saute for a few seconds and then add the curry leaves and sliced onions. Saute till the onions are soft then add the tomatoes. Cook until tomatoes are soft but not mushy. Stir in the ground prepared paste, the tamarind paste and jaggery. Season with salt and add ½ cup of water. Combine and bring to a boil on medium heat. Simmer for 6-8 minutes on low heat . If the curry is getting too thick, add more water to achieve required consistency. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Vegetables and Egg Noodle Casserole

This past weekend was pleasant with great weather after the incessant rains last week. We met up with friends for dinner on Saturday and on Sunday the hubby and I went on a winter shopping spree. Well, Winter is nowhere in sight at least here in the South, but all we needed was a reason to shop. After all the shopping we were ravenous by dinner time and I wanted to make something that would hit the dinner table asap.

I had a pack of Egg Noodles which I had bought very long ago, and I had fresh veggies on hand. Put the two together in a creamy sauce and you have one delicious casserole.

You will need:

6 ounces Egg Noodles
1 tbsp Olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Onion, thinly sliced

½ red bell pepper, sliced

½ cup carrots, cubed

¼ cup green peas

½ cup cauliflower florets

1 tsp Chilli flakes

1 tbsp fresh Oregano

1 tbsp fresh Thyme

For the sauce:

2 tbsp Butter

2 tbsp All purpose flour

¾ cup whole milk

¼ cup heavy cream

A pinch nutmeg

Salt to taste

Topping:

½ cup grated Parmesan

Prepare the sauce – Heat the butter in a non stick pan. When it melts add the flour and whisk continuously while cooking on medium heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes and then whisk in the whole milk and heavy cream. Bring to a simmering boil. Season with salt and nutmeg. Turn off heat and set aside.

Cook Egg Noodles according to package instructions. Drain and reserve.

Preheat oven to 400F.

Prepare the veggies- Boil carrots, peas and cauliflower till done, about 7-8 minutes. Drain. Heat the olive oil in a pan. Add the minced garlic, sauté till fragrant. Add the sliced onions and peppers. Cook till onions are translucent and peppers are soft. Add the chilli flakes, and boiled veggies. Combine and then add the fresh herbs, the prepared sauce and egg noodles. Season with salt. Cook for a minute or two and transfer to a lightly buttered casserole dish. Top generously with the parmesan cheese.

Bake for 15 minutes till the cheese is brown and bubbly. Serve hot.

The Egg Noodles were light and with the veggies made for a not too heavy meal, but enough to satisfy two very hungry people. If you are not big on Egg Noodles, you can substitute with any short pasta like penne or farfalle.