Onion Tomato Gojju | Thokku!

Onion Tomato Gojju is a simple and delicious sidedish for rice or chapathi.

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Ingredients

Onion - 2 nos(finely chopped)
Tomato - 4 nos(finely chopped)
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tspn(as per your taste)
Sambar powder - 1 tblspn(As per your taste)
Oil - 2 tbslpn
Jaggery/sugar 1/2 tspn
Mustard - 1/2 tspn
Salt

Preparation method
Heat a kadai, add oil, mustard, once its splutters, add onion and a pinch of salt.
let onion fry till transparant.
Now add tomatoes and let it cook its soft
Now add turmeric, salt, red chilli powder and sambar powder.
Add a tblpn of oil and simmer it.
Add jaggery/sugar and mix well.
Let it cook for 5 mins and its ready.

Serve with Chapathi, Dosai, Idli or can make tomato rice.

checkout my tomato thokku post here (without onion/multipurpose thokku).


This can be kept for lunch box by spreading on chapathi or on travel and its really very delicious. You can add grated paneer too.

PS - Your feedback is appreciated. Do try recipe from (http://www.sarascorner.net/) take picture and send it to me through Facebook message or mail me at simplysara07@gmail.com. Will be glad to add in my page Tried & Tasted album on FB or post on my page. Thank you.

Sweet Potato Capsicum Curry | Sidedish

This is a simple and easy curry. I prepared this I had a leftover sweet potato, H loves sweet potato he always ensures its in our market list. I left it for long time and it started growing too, I showed my son how plants grow. But this potato is not from India its available in local shops just like potatoes but bigger in size with different colour. After we cook it almost looks like carrot.

I have tried to give something different. Usually I prepare homemade sweet potato chips. checkout the recipe here it may interest you to try.

Now to the recipe. 
Ingredients 
Sweet Potato - 1no(large)
Capsicum - 1no
Red chilli powder - 1 tspn(As per your taste)
Turmeric - 2 pinches
Salt

Seasoning
Oil - 1 tblspn
Mustard - 1/4 tspn
Hing/Asafotida - 2 pinches
Curry leaves - few

Preparation Method

Wash, remove skin and chop sweet potato into small cubes. Put in water and keep.
Wash and cut capsicum into small pieces.
Heat a wok/kadai, add oil, add mustard, wait till it splutters.
Add hing and curry leaves. Saute it.
Add red chilli powder and turmeric. saute it. 
Add capsicum and fry for 2 mins.
Now add sweet potato, sprinkle some water, salt close with lid in medium flame. Cook till its soft with occasional stirs.
Once done off the stove.
Serve hot with rasam, sambar or curd rice.

Notes - You can also add daniya powder for flavour.
You can add or reduce chilli powder. I have added more as potato is sweet.
You can add more oil and roast it too.

Dahi Bindi | Masala Mor Kolambu | Sidedish for Rotis/Rice!

After posting the pic on the Sara's Corner page I was not able to post the recipe as the little one nowadays is so active, he puts his feet on the keyboard to type. So today I am posting immediately after he slept:-)

Every weekend its really a tough job for women to prepare a special meal for the family. It should be different and tasty. S doesn't like Lady's finger much but sometimes he likes. My son loves #Paneer and #Vendakkai in any form, so I have also add paneer for him in this gravy:) He enjoyed this happily. My Father in law loves north indian dishes. So this time something different for him.

Ingredients
Vendakai/Bindi/Lady's Finger - 10 - 15 nos
Thick curds/Dahi -2 cups (whisked)
Kadalai maav/Besan - 1 tblspn
Oil - 4 tblspn
Salt

To grind
Fresh grated coconut - 1 cup
Onion - 1 no
Cashews - 6 nos
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tspn(As per your taste)
Green chilli - 1 no(As per your taste)
Turmeric - a pinch
Garlic - 1 no
Ginger - 2" piece
Cinamon - 1" piece
Garam Masala - 1/2 tspn

Preparation Method
Wash, wipe and cut Vendakai/Bindi/Lady's Finger into 2 inches pieces.


Heat a kadai, add oil, add lady's finger and fry till crispy. Sprinkle add kadalai maav/besan and a bit of salt. Let it fry nicely. Transfer it to a plate.
Grind to smooth paste the above mentioned ingredients with little water.

In the same kadai/wok add oil, put this paste and cook till raw smell goes.
Then add dahi and mix well.
Add salt.
Finally add Vendakai/Bindi/Lady's Finger. let it boil once or you can serve as it is. Oil will separate.

This gravy can be had with Jeera Rice, Pulao or Chapathi/rotis. My husband renamed it as Masala Mor Kolambu. 

I have served with Peas and Corn Rice recipe here 

Our family really enjoyed, especially my Father in law.

Notes - 
#You can also deep fry Lady's finger.
#Leftover can be stored in fridge.
#If the gravy is too thick just add little hot water.

Gobi 65 | Snack/Starter recipe!

Here the weather is very cool and chill. Thought of something different to eat a thome.
Sometimes when we go to restaurant we order Gobi 65 as starter, so prepared this for tiffin with coffee last weekend.

Ingredients
Gobi/Cauliflower - 1 big
Besan/Kadalaimav - 1 cup
Maida -1 tblspn
Rice flour or Corn flour - 2tspn
Red chilli powder - 1 tspn(As per your taste)
Red food colour - a pinch( optional)
Omam/Ajwain - a pinch
Salt and water
Ginger garlic paste - optional. I have not used it.

Preparation Method
Make small florets of cauliflower. Put in boiling water with little salt and a pinch of turmeric for 10 minutes. Drain/Strain fully so no water is left.
Take a bowl add all the flours, chilli powder, salt, water to form a semi thick batter. Add the cauliflower and mix
Deep fry in oil until brown and take on tissue paper to absorb oil.

Serve with ketchup.

Mathan| Sweet Pumpkin Curry | Type 2 ! Recipe by him

Pumpkin/Mathan curry is delicious and tasty. This recipe was told by my hubby. Since he also loves cooking I am adding one more label His Recipes, so whenever he cooks that will be posted here.

Until my hubby told me, I never used to do pumpkin curry with skin. When the skin is tender you can prepare with it. At home, now this is often in our menu. Here in the market we get such fresh and small pumpkin. Looks so colourful, so just took few photos.

Now lets go to the recipe.

Ingredients
Sweet pumpkin/Mathan - 1/2 no(Med size)
Oil -2 tspns
Mustard - a pinch
Asafoetida/hing - a pinch
Turmeric - a pinch
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tspn(As per your taste)
Curry leaves - few
Salt as required

Perfect chunks by my hubby. Thank you:)
 Preparation method
Wash, remove seeds and cut the vegetable in medium size chunks.
Heat a kadai, add oil, mustard, asafoetida. Let it crackle. Then add curry leaves and sauté.
Put the vegetable and mix.
Sprinkle a little water.
Add salt, turmeric and red chilli powder.
Close a lid and keep the flame on medium.
Stir occasionally.
Once the vegetable is cooked, slightly mash and mix well.

Mathan | Sweet pumpkin Curry is ready.
  You can have as a sidedish with hot rice /Sambar/Rasam/Curd Rice. 

Do participate in my event Cooking with Love - Cousins guest hosted by Amrita.

Creamy Dal Makhni | North Indian sidedish for Steamed Rice and Rotis!

Dal Makhni is a north Indian sidedish. It is also called Maa ki Dal. last weekend was craving for something different and tried this. It was very delicious with steamed basmati rice or rotis/chapathis

Ingredients
Split Urad dal with skin - 3 cups
Black eye bean/Karamani (white)- handfull
Onion - 2 nos
Ripe tomato - 2 nos
Garlic - 1no
Ginger - 1 tablspn
Cream - 2 tblspns (Nestle)
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tspn
Garam Masala powder - 1 tspn
Kasoori methi - 2 generous pinch
cinnamon - 2" piece
Oil - 2 tblspns
butter - 1 tblspn
Salt

Preparation method
wash, rinse, soak urad dal and black eyed bean over nite.(see notes)
Pressure cook with 1tspn of salt for 4 whistles.
In a kadai, add little oil, fry 1 chopped onion, garlic and 2 tomatoes till raw smell goes. cool it. grind to fine paste.
Now in the same kadai, add 1/2 tspn butter add cinnamon, rest of the finely chopped onion, ginger and sauté till the onion are slightly brown.
Add the grounded mixture, red chilli powder, garam masala powder mix boil well. Now add the dals. crush kasoori methi and add now. The consistency should be not too thick or thin, it should be pouring consistency.
Add 1/2 tspn butter.
Add the cream and mix well. Just boil once.
Off the stove.
Finally garnish with love.

Serve hot with basmati rice/rotis.

Notes: If you forgot to soak at night, you can soak morning in hot water.
You can use whole urad dal and Rajma for this.
I have used more cream, you can use cream to just garnish.

Baked Potato Wedges | Kids Snack Recipe!

I have had Potato Wedges at restaurant in Panama, first time I tried at home and liked it a lot. This was suggested by my hubby. Now my family loved it.

I had not put any spice so kids will definitely love it.

It was finished soon, before I could photo shoot it. This photo is just out of the oven.

Ingredients
Potato - 4 nos(big)
Olive oil - 1 tablespoon
Parsley Flakes -  2 pinches+
Salt - 2 pinches

Preparation Method
Preheat oven to 200 C for 10 mins
Wash, scrub the potatoes and cut into wedges. do not remove skin
In a bowl add olive oil, salt and parsley flakes. coat the potatoes and line in the baking tray.
Bake for 20 to 30 mins. Insert a tooth pick and see if the potatoes are cooked.

Take out and serve immediately with a dip. Mayo or Cheese dip.

Notes - If you love spicy do add pepper powder.
You can also use Oregano.

This recipe along with Potato Cutlet and Potato Bags is going to Crazy for Potatoes by Sowmya and Pari.

Kathirikai Gothsu | Brinjal/Aubergine Sambar| Sidedish for Pongal/Idli!

Gothsu is a south indian gravy, like sambar for Pongal or Idli. For this we use split green gram/siruparuppu. I never knew until I got married to a Chennaiate. Many dishes are different from Karnataka.Tamilnadu dishes are prepared and enjoyed with combinations. I have prepared many times and today posting it.

Ingredients
Kathirikai/Brinjal -  2nos(Medium size chopped)
Tamarind water - 1 cup
Paasiparuppu/Split green gram - 1/2 cup(cooked and mashed)
Sambar Powder - 2 tspns
Ginger - 1tblspn
Curry leaves/Coriander - 1 tblspn
Turmeric - 1/4 tspn
Jaggery - a small piece(optional)
Salt

Seasoning
Oil - 1 tspn
Mustard - 1/4 tspn
Hing - 1/4 tspn

Preparation Method
Heat a kadai, add oil, mustard,wait till it pops out.
Add hing and saute for a minute.
Add ginger and curry leaves and saute for 5 mins.
Add brinjal, salt and cook till soft.
Add tamarind water, turmeric and boil
Add sambar powder and mix.
After one boil add mashed dal with water.
Check on salt.
Add jaggery and let it boil once.

Off the stove add chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot with Ven Pongal / Idli / Dosas.

I have served with Venpongal for Sunday morning Breakfast which was truly delicious.

Kollu / Horse Gram Sundal!

Kollu/Horsegram is very good for health. Its good for lowering cholestrol.

Ingredients
Kollu/Horsegram - 2 cups
Yennai/Oil - 1 tblspn
Kadag/Mustard - 1/4 tspn
Onion - 2 nos
Karuvepillai/Curry leaves - few
Kanja Milagai/Dry Red Chilli - 2 nos
Thengai/Fresh Grated Coconut - 2 -3 tspns(Optional)
Uzhatham Paruppu/Urad Dal - 1/2 tspn
Salt

Preparation Method
Soak  kollu/horsegram for 4-5 hours or overnite. Wash and clean it will have stones and mud particles.
Pressure cook with little salt for 3-4 whistles or till its soft with water and little salt. Drain the water (collect it and keep).
Heat a kadai, add oil, mustard wait till it splutters, add curry leaves, dry red chilli, urad dal and saute till the dal is brown. Then add finely chopped onion and saute.
Then add the cooked horsegram and salt. Cook for few mins. Can be served as it is.

Off the stove and add fresh grated coconut and mix.(optional)

Kollu/horsegram Sundal is ready to serve. This can be served evening with coffee or for lunch with sambar or rasam rice. I served with Kollu rasam rice.

Notes - If you want to do the sundal fast and if you forget to soak at nite. Soak the dals in hot water.

With the water I prepared Kollu rasam. This recipe posted here.

Scrambled Methi Paneer!

Me and my son loves Paneer and any dish prepared with it. I wanted to make something different and quick so tried this, as I had fresh methi leaves, Scrambled Methi Paneer is very easy and a good sidedish for chapathi or parantha stuffing. The aroma was very good.

Hope you like it.

Serves - 1 -2 person

Ingredients
Paneer/Cottage Cheese - 20 cubes
Fresh Methi leaves/Venthaya Keerai/Fenugreek leaves - 1/2 cup
Pudina leaves/Mint - 1/4 cup
Onion - 1 no
Garam Masala - 1/2 tspn
Bisibelebath powder- 1 tspn(I used MTR)- Optional but I have used it.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tspn
Chat masala - a pinch
Green chilli - 2nos(optional)
Oil - 1 tablespoon
Salt

Preparation Method
Scramble paneer and keep it.
Chop onion, g. chilli, methi and pudina finely.
Heat a kadai/wok, add oil onion and saute for few mins.
Now add the leaves and saute till the onions are turning brown.
Add paneer, salt, turmeric, garam masala, bisibelebath powder and mix well.
Let it cook well and combine.
Sprinkle chat masala and off the stove.

Serve hot with phulkas/chapathis.

Notes - If you want to prepare for more persons, increase the ingredients accordingly.

Paneer Butter Masala | Paneer Recipes

Paneer Butter Masala is one of the favourite at my home, which I prepare often.  Do checkout my recipes Tomato Paneer, Mutter Paneer, Palak Paneer, Pepper Paneer, and many more varieties previously in my Paneer recipes here. 

Ingredients

Tomato - 1 no(Big and deseeded)
Onion - 2nos
Paneer - 15-20 pieces(for Homemade Paneer click here)
Garlic - 1 clove
Spices - cinamon, cardamom, cloves ; 1 or 2 each
Kasoori Methi - 1/2 tspn
Tomato Ketchup - 1 tablespoon
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tspn
Garam Masala -  1/2 tspn
Full Cream Milk - 1 cup
Ghee or Butter - 2 tblspn
Cream - 2 tspns(Optional)
Sugar - 1/2 tspn
Salt

Preparation Method

Soak paneer cubes in warm water.

Chop onion and tomato to medium size cubes.

In a Kadai, put little oil and spices, half the chopped onion, tomato and garlic. Saute till its soft. Allow it to cool and grind to a fine paste with little milk. I sometimes do a coarse paste.

In the same Kadai, put 1 tblspn ghee/butter, add 2 tblspns of finely chopped onion and tomato(Optional), a pinch of salt saute, add crushed kasoori methi (see notes below)

Add grounded paste with little water. Add salt to taste. Keep it in low flame. Keep Stirring.

Once its cooked well, tomato puree and allow one boil. Then add milk, mix and boil it. Add all masalas and mix well. Keep it in low flame. Once its boiled, check for salt and add paneer and mix well. It should be not too thick or too runny. Just semi gravy and blend well. Add sugar and stir well. You can also add a pinch of kasoori methi. Allow it to boil once and off the stove. Add 1 tblspn of butter on top and off the stove. 

Top it up with cream if you like or serve just like that.

I have served with Phulkas.

Paneer Butter Masala is ready to serve. This can be a side dish for Chapathi, Naan, Kulcha and Rotis (Indian Breads) or Pulao.

This recipe is going to Cooking with love Sister by Ruchika and Saraswathi Iyer.

Methi Matar Gravy Recipe!

After my Guest Post for my dear blogger friend Lavanya of Tickle your Tastebuds and Make Life Delicious. Just posting for my readers. Also received a certificate of participation. Thanks Lavanya and this was Shortlisted recipe for the “From your kitchen contest: special Ingredient – “Green Peas / Matar” – Popular choice winner, on Top 5 by FoodFood on Facebook. I didnot win but I was happy to be on Top 5 and got about 25 likes. Thank you everyone.

Ingredients
Fresh Methi leaves/Fenugreek leaves - 1 cup
Mint leaves/Pudina - 1/2 cup
Frozen peas/Matar - 1 1/2 cups
Onion - 2 nos

Milk - 1 cup

Spieces - 2 nos each

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tablespoon

Butter/Ghee(Clarified Butter) - 1/2 tspn

Oil - 1 tablespoon

Garam masala - 1 tspn

Red chilli powder - 1 tspn

Kasoori Methi - 2 pinches.

Sugar - 1/2 tspn

Salt

Preparation Method

Wash and clean, pat dry methi leaves.

In a kadai, heat oil, add the spices saute for a minute.

Add onions and fry till transparant. Add ginger garlic paste.save little for later use.

Add methi leaves, pudina and fry. Off the stove. Allow it to cool.

Grind to fine paste.

Heat a kadai, add butter/ghee, add spices if you require and saute.

Add saved onons, ginger garlic paste and saute.

Add the grounded mixture. and boil it.

Add the peas and mix. Add garam masala, red chilli powder,

Add milk and boil. Add sugar.

Add kasoori methi.

Check with salt. Off the stove.

Serve with Hot Chapathis/Breads.

Notes - If you feel you will taste bitter, reduce the methi leaves. I love bitter sometimes:)

Red Chutney | Sidedish for Idlis and Dosas!

Today we are learning about Red Chutney/Dip usually eaten at Restuarant with Idlis or Dosa.

Red Chutney is very delicious chutney/dip for idlis and dosas. Also one of my blog reader had asked me for this recipe. Here you go.

Ingredients
Onion - 1no
Tomatoes - 1no(small Red n Ripe)
Uzhatham Paruppu/Urad Dal - 1 tspn
Kadalai Paruppu/Channa Dal- 1 tablespoon
Long Dry red chilli - 5nos (As per your taste)I used Byadagi Menasinakayi.
Any cooking Oil/Olive Oil - 1 tspn
Pudina/Mint leaves - 4 to 5 nos(Optional)
Garlic - 4 nos(As per your taste)
Salt

Preparation Method
Heat a wok or kadai, add oil, channa dal, urad dal,red chilli, onion, garlic, tomato and saute till the dal is brown. Add pudina if you are adding in the late. Allow it to cool.
Add salt and grind to coarse paste in mixie/blender when cool. Add just little water it should be thick.

Red chutney is ready to serve. I served it with hot Dosa. You can also spread it on dosa and stuff Potato Masala for Masala Dosa. Click here for Dosa varieties. You can have it with Idlis/Adai too.

Notes - You can prepare without onion, garlic and pudnia also, it will taste good.
Store it air tight container and refridgerate for later use.

Paneer Curry | Kids Delight!

After preparing  Tawa Barbeque Paneer last week, again this week my son was asking for paneer dish.

This was the quick curry I prepared for my son who loves paneer in any form. I didnot know what to prepare was thinking something different and prepared this. He enjoyed.

I had it with  Paratha for lunch yesterday.

Serves - 1 to 2

Ingredients
Paneer cubes/Cottage Cheese - 1 cup (click here for homemade Paneer recipe)
Onion - 1no
Tomato - 1no(small)
Kasoori methi - a pinch
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tspn
Oil - 1 tblspn
Jeera -  a pinch
Salt - 2 pinches

Preparation Method
Chop onions and tomatoes.
Heat a kadai, add oil, jeera and saute for 1min
Add onions and saute till transparant. Add chopped tomatoes and saute till soft and both blends well.
Add salt, turmeric, red chilli powder and kasoori methi and mix well.
Add paneer cubes and mix well. Let it cook for 5mins.

Off the stove.

Serve with hot chapathis or parathas.

For more paneer dishes click here.

This recipe is going to The Master Chef event.

Vegetable Kurma/Korma!

Vegetable Kurma is very delicious gravy. This can be sidedish for Poori, Chapathi and any rice dishes. My FIL taught me this, as he prepares it so yummy. This is there pending in my drafts since long long time so finally up!

Ingredients

Carrot - 1/2 cup

Beans - 10 nos

Peas - 1 cup(Frozen)

Potato - 1 no

Onion - 1 no
Cauliflower - 1 cup(Optional)

Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tspn
Fresh Grated Coconut - 1 cup

Cashewnut - 6 nos

Tomato few slices for garnish.
Spices - cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf and cardamom
Turmeric - a pinch
Green chilli - 2 nos
Oil - 2 tablespoon
Salt

Preparation Method
Soak cashews in water.
Wash and chop all vegetables.
Heat a kadai with oil, add spices and saute for few mins. Add onions, ginger garlic, green chilli and saute till onions transparant.
Add all the vegetables, salt, turmeric and little water. Cover it and let it cook.
Grind coconut and cashews with little water to smooth paste.
Once the vegetables are just boiled add the smooth paste and water and boil.
Check on salt and when its combined well. Off the stove.
Garnish with slices of tomato.

Serve hot with Poori/Dosa/Appam/Rava Idli/Chapathi/Pulao/Biryani Rice/Steamed Rice.

This recipe is going to Cooking with Love Aunt guest hosted by Akheela started by Saraswathi Iyer. My Aunt was very affectionate good in traditional cooking, she passed away 4 yrs back, daily I miss her a lot as she also taught me cooking.

Vazhakkai Roast | Crispy Raw Plantain!

Crispy flavoured Vazhakkai/Raw Plantain Roast is a popular in Tamil Nadu non-brahmin homes. Its very tasty and flavoured. This recipe was taught by my MIL and she told it will be very nice. I tasted it for the first time and like it.

Here goes the recipe.

Ingredients
Vazhakkai/Raw Plantain - 1 no (medium size slice)
Rice flour - 1 tablespoon
Red chilli powder - 1 tspn(As per your spice taste)
Turmeric powder - 2 pinches
Asafotida/Hing - 2 pinches
Salt

Oil for shallow fry.

Preparation Method

Wash, remove skin and cut vazhakkai into medium slices. 

Mix all the other ingredients to form a smooth paste.

Apply on the veggie. Leave for few mins.

Heat a skillet/tawa and put oil on it. When its hot.

Cook on one side flip/turnover and pour little oil and cook on other side too until crisp.

Vazhakkai Roast | Crispy Raw Plantain is ready to serve.

Serving suggestion : Enjoy with hot sambar rice/rasam rice or curd rice.

Potato | Aloo Masal! Type 2

Potato /Urulai/Aloo Masal is very tasty sidedish. This is a multipurpose masal I have used it in 2 to 3 dishes.

Ingredients
Potato - 4 nos
Onion - 1no
Ginger - 1 tspn
Curry leaves -  few
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tspn
Pav Bhaji Masala - 1 tspn
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Oil - 2 tspns
Mustard - 1/4 tspn
Jeera - 1/4 tspn
Salt

Preparation Method
Wash and cook potatoes in pressure cooker with little salt for 3 to 4 whistles. When the steam is up, cut into medium pieces or break into small pieces by hand.
Heat a kadai, add oil, mustard, jeera, wait till it splutters. Add onion, ginger, curry leaves, a pinch of salt and saute till onions are transparant.
Add all the masala powders and saute.
Add the potatoes and mix well. Add salt.
Cook till raw smell goes and it combines well.
Off the stove.

Potato/Aloo Masal is ready to serve. I served with delicious Masal Puri!

Tofu Butter Masala ! Lunch Box Special!

Tofu is very healthy since its prepared from Soy Milk. I have been using Tofu rarely at home. This can also be prepared for lunch box with chapathis. I love chapathis for lunch or anytime:-) I have already posted Tofu Masala here and this is with slight variation.

Serves 2 persons
Ingredients
Pressed/Firm Tofu - 1 pkt
Onion - 1no
Tomato - 1 no
Ginger n Garlic - 1/2 tspn
Spices - 1 no cardamom/elachi, cloves/laung, cinamon/pattai/1 bay leaf
Coriander leaves - few sprigs
Dhaniya powder - 1 tablespoon
Red chilli Powder - 1/2 tspn(As per your taste)
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Milk - 1/2 cup
Tomato puree - 1 tablespoon
Kasoori Methi - a pinch
Olive Oil - 1/2 tspn
Butter - 1/2 tspn
Cashews - 4 nos
Salt

Preparation Method
Chop onion and tomato into small pieces.
Grind Onion, tomato, ginger garlic, cashews, turmeric powder, dhaniya powder, spices, red chilli powder, coriander leaves in a blender or mixer into fine paste with little water.
Heat a Kadai/wok, add butter, oil and just toss the tofu pieces and keep aside. 
In the same kadai,add little oil, add the grounded mixture, tomato puree and allow it to boil. Once the raw smell goes.(if reqd you can add in whole spices too at this time in oil)
Add salt, kasoori methi and mix well.
Add milk and mix. When its going to be thick gravy.
Cut tofu into small pieces and add it. Just boil once and off the stove.
Garnish with crushed kasoori methi or chopped coriander leaves.
Top it with 1/2 tspn of butter.

Tofu Butter Masala is ready to pack to your lunch box with chapathis or rotis.

Thakalli Thokku | Tomato Pickle!

Thakalli Thokku | Tomato Pickle is very tangy and tasty recipe. This is a traditional dish taught by my Mother-in-law who makes this to her perfection,  as in Bangalore we used to do Gojjus. It was new to me and I loved it a lot. Its also my family favourite sidedish. A good timesaver and accompany many dishes. I always prepare and store it in my place, when I find really red tomatoes in Little India cannot miss it.

Ingredients
Fresh Red Tomatoes - 10 nos
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tspn
Red chilli powder - 1 tablespoon(As per your taste adjust)
Fenugreek seed powder - 1/2 tspn
Cooking Oil - 1/2 cup (I use gingely oil or olive oil)
Mustard - a pinch
Hing/Asafotida - 1/4 tspn
Salt

Preparation Method
Wash, cut and chop all the tomatoes into 4 pieces and keep aside.
Heat a heavy big kadai/wok, add oil, a pinch of mustard and hing.
Once mustard pops, add the tomatoes and mix.
Leave it for 5 mins. Then add, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt and mix.
Close it with lid, as it will pop out while boiling and cook till the tomatoes are soft.
It will be too soft  and watery. Continue to close lid.
The colour will change from light red to dark red.
When its going thick add venthaya podi/fenugreek powder. Mix and check for salt and spice levels.
if you wish you can add. Usually, adding the spice and salt little more is better, when it cools, it will be to correct level. Do not cook for long after adding venthaya podi, this will make bitter.

When the gravy is thick and oil leav es the side and good aroma. The dish is ready. Allow it to cool.

Store in clean glass or plastic bottle.  This can be sidedish for kootu rice, curd rice. chapathi, Idlis, Dosas and Adai .

Methods of using tomatoes in thokku. You can use any method.

1. Just chop them and cook
2. Remove seeds and cook.
3. Remove seeds, skin, grind to fine paste and cook.

Notes - This can be stored upto 15days in fridge.
Do not put stainless steel spoon and store, try to put wooden spoon.

How to prepare fenugreek powder at home.
Fenugreek powder /Venthaya podi - Take 1 cup or required amount of seeds dry roast in a kadai in medium flame to slightly brown. Allow it to cool and grind it to a fine powder. Store in air tight container for later use.

This recipe is going to Kalyani's Event Pickles and Preserve Fest and Spring Seasonal Food Event by Sravani.