Chandrabhaga

Bahara Baingan

2010-12-07T10:47:00.004-05:00

Ingredients:

Indian Eggplant - 4 or 5
Onion - 1 big, finely chopped
Tomato - 1 small, finely chopped
Ginger garlic paste- 1 tsp
Tamarind - a Gooseberry size, soaked in warm water
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Jaggery (Powdered) - 1 tsp, if preferred
Cilantro - to garnish
Salt - as required
Curry leaves - few
Oil - as required

Dry roast and grind into a paste:

Corriander seeds - 1 tbsp
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Fennel - 1 tsp
Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Red chillies - 2 or 3
Peanuts - a fistful
Coconut - 2 tbsp shredded
Channa dal - 1/2 tsp
Salt - as required

How to make it:

Slit open the bottom portion of eggplants like "X" until 1/2 inch left near stem. Do not take out the top portion. Stuff the eggplants with the ground paste. Heat oil in a fry pan and shallow fry the eggplants on low flame until done. Cook the eggplants evenly on all sides. Set aside.

Heat oil in a pan, add onions and curry leaves and cook until onion turns light brown. Add ginger garlic paste and saute until raw smell goes. Add tomatoes and cook until it becomes soft. Add tamarind juice, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt and bring it to a boil. Add the Stuffed eggplants and any remaining ground paste. Cook until oil separates. Finish off with jaggery (in case, if the dish is too hot). Add chopped cilantro. Serve hot with rotis and rice.

Beet Greens and Carrot Curry

2010-11-17T10:56:00.004-05:00

Beet bunch (Beet root with greens) is always a must buy item in my shopping list, whenever I visit the Farm Market. My farm market has them always fresh, that I buy beet root as a bunch and not loose. Apart from making curries and gravies using beet root, I also use the Beet greens in my dishes. I usually add beet greens with spinach in most of my cooking. This time I tried making this curry and believe me it was so good. Especially, adding black pepper to the curry gave a very good taste!

Coming to the recipe,

Ingredients:

Beet Greens - 1 bunch
Carrots - 3
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch

Dry roast and grind:

Black pepper - 1/2 tsp
Corriander seeds - 1 tsp
Channa dal - 1/2 tsp
Red chillies - 2 or 3

How to make it:

Wash and chop beet greens. Chop carrots into small pieces. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and when it splutters, add urad dal. Add carrots and cook until carrots are half done. Add the chopped beet greens, asafoetida and salt. Cook for 2 mins. Sprinkle some water if required. Add the ground powder and mix well.

Happy Diwali 2010

2010-11-04T15:53:00.005-04:00

I wish all the visitors of Chandrabhaga, A VERY COLORFUL, JOYFUL AND WONDERFUL DIWALI. May the year ahead be as "Sweet" as the Sweets, as "Bright" as the Lights and as "Cheerful" as the Crispy snacks. Have a wonderful celebration!

Coming to the recipes, this year I made Badusha and Boondi laddu for Sweets, and Murukku and Thattai for Snacks.

Badusha

Ingredients:

All purpose flour - 2 cups
Butter - 1 stick (8 tbsp), softened
Baking Soda - A pinch
Sugar - 1 1/2 cups
Cardamom - 2 or 3 crushed
Saffron - A pinch
Oil- for frying

How to make it:

Sieve the flour. Add the baking soda and mix well. Add the softened butter and knead for about 7-10 minutes, into a firm dough. Keep Covered for about 10 minutes. Mean while, make sugar syrup with little water to one-thread consistency. Add cardamom powder and saffron. Now, make small balls out of the dough. Press slightly to make a round shape. Make a small impression in the center and deep fry few at a time in hot oil on low flame. Cook on both sides evenly until it turns light brown. Drain oil and dip in sugar syrup for about 2-3 minutes. Let it cool on a wax paper.

Boondi Laddu

Ingredients:

Besan Flour - 1 cup
Rice Flour - 1 tbsp
Sugar - 2 cups
Cloves - about 6, crushed
Cashews - Few, broken
Diamond Kalkandu ( white rock sugar)- 2 tbsp
Pachai karpooram (Raw Camphor) - a pinch
Oil - for frying

How to make it:

Mix besan and rice flour with water and make into a pourable consistency. Heat oil in a pan, hold the ladle with small holes over the oil, pour the batter one ladle at a time. Fry boondi until done and take on to a paper towel and drain excess oil. Make sugar syrup to one-thread consistency. In a pan, fry cashews in little ghee. Pour the sugar syrup over the boondi in a big bowl and mix well. Add the crushed cloves, fried cashews and mix well. When it is slightly warm add the raw camphor and white rock sugar. Mix well. Grease hand with ghee and make balls out of it.

Thattai

Ingredients:

Rice flour - 2 cups
Moong dal - 1/4 cup
Green chillies - 5
Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
Salt - as required
Oil- for frying

How to make it:

Soak moong dal in water for about 15 minutes. Drain. Grind green chillies into a paste. Mix rice flour, moong dal, Green chilli paste, red chilli powder, salt and asafoetida together. Add water little by little and make into a dough. Grease a plastic cover with oil, Take small balls of dough and press to make a round shape. Drop on to hot oil and fry until golden brown. Drain excess oil. Let it cool and store in an air tight container.

Check out my other recipes for thattai here and here

Murukku

Ingredients:

Rice flour - 1 1/2 cups
Urad flour - 1 tbsp
Green chilli paste - 1 tbsp
Red chilli powder -1 tsp
Salt - as required
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Ajwain seeds - 1 tsp
Oil - for frying

How to make it:

Mix all the above together with water and make a soft dough. Heat oil in a broad pan, using a murukku press make 4 or 5 murukku at a time over the oil and fry until golden brown on both sides. Drain excess oil and store in an air tight container.

Nachos

2010-06-30T15:48:00.004-04:00

Ingredients:

Tortilla chips
Refried Beans - 1 can
Salsa con queso (salsa with cheese) - 1 small jar
Hot sauce - to drizzle
Shredded Lettuce
Chopped Tomatoes

How to make it:
Take a plate or bowl. Spread the tortilla chips. (My chips had a hint of lime. Absolutely... extra tasty!) Heat beans in microwave or stove top. Squeeze the beans on top of the chips. Add cheese salsa and hot sauce (Frank's red hot sauce). Slightly Warm in microwave. Top with shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes. Serve!
Very easy to make and sure is delectable!

Buitoni Frozen ( ?? Really!! ) Meals for Two

2010-06-25T11:26:00.005-04:00

As a part of the Foodbuzz taste maker programme, Foodbuzz and Buitoni sent me a Coupon good for one "Buitoni Frozen Meal for Two". Being a vegetarian I wasn't sure if Buitoni has any vegetarian options. I went to the store and looked in the frozen foods aisle and to my surprise, i found something Vegetarian - "Four Cheese and Spinach Ravioli with Tomato Basil Sauce". As usual, checked for the ingredients and bought home. The next day being Father's day, my son made a cute photo collage for his dad and asked my help to prepare something special to celebrate the day!

So, i made these raviolis that day and believe me.... it did not taste like Frozen Food!! They were so soft, well cooked in less time and was tasting gr8! It was so convenient and easy to prepare in less time and most of all made the dinner complete! Awesome, Isn't it??

Raviolis are the kind that i never make at home, but would love to eat at restaurants! I have tried other Store bought Frozen Raviolis before and none tasted good like the one we get in restaurants!

This Buitoni box had not just the raviolis but also a pouch (yes!, a food-safe plastic pouch) of yummy tomato-basil sauce to go with the raviolis. So, it is zero preparation time and just about 10 minutes of cooking time. I baked some store bought veggie nuggets to go along with this ravioli. And, i was so happy.... i had less time cooking and more time to spend with family and so my Son!
I cooked the raviolis as per the package instructions and tossed them with the sauce. (Next time shopping, i gotta look for this tomato basil sauce from Buitoni if it is available in a jar.... the taste was awesome!)

Next, gotta try Buitoni's Five Cheese Cannelloni with Tomato Basil Sauce!!
These definitely make a quick, easy and tasty meal!

Would be nice if they can introduce more Vegetarian options in Lasagna and other pasta varieties!!

Thank you Foodbuzz and Buitoni for giving me a wonderful opportunity trying this Buitoni product! Love it!

Vathal Kuzhambhu

2010-06-16T10:47:00.006-04:00

Vathal (Origin: Tamil) means any sort of Sun-dried veggies and Kuzhambhu (Origin: Tamil) means Gravy. Usually, as the name says, Vathal kuzhambhu is made either with sun-dried veggies or with onions. But, here i made it as a combination of Onions and Vathal in a spicy tamarind gravy.

Ingredients:

Sundakkai Vathal (Dried Turkey Berry) - 1/4 cup
Tamarind - Lemon size ball
Small onions - 1 cup, peeled
Sambar powder - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp extra hot or 2 tsp mild-medium hot.
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
Salt - as required
Dried Red chillies - 2 or 3
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Channa dal - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Oil - 1/4 cup
Onion Vadagams - few, fried
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Rice flour - 1 tsp (optional)

How to make it:

Soak tamarind in 2-3 cups of warm water and mash well. Extract the pulp in a bowl. Add chilli powder, sambar powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida and salt. Mix well. Heat oil in a deep bottom pan, add red chillies and mustard seeds and when it splutters, add urad dal and channa dal. Add onions and fry for a while. Add the vathal and fry until it turns brown. Add the tamarind pulp and mix well. Add sugar and let it boil on low flame until oil separates. Add curry leaves and the fried onion vadagams. For a thicker gravy, add rice flour mixed with little water and let it cook on medium heat for 2 more minutes. Serve hot with rice along with fried papad or potato fry (Click Here and here for recipe) to make it a beautiful combo. Add a tbsp of gingelly oil, if preferred! Enjoy!

Thattai Delight

2010-06-07T14:29:00.006-04:00

This is my Husband's recipe and he always says a big story about this snack that he enjoyed during his school days. He also says that the name of this snack is Thattuvada.. Which i never heard of. So i named it Thattai Delight! Do anybody know about this?

Ingredients:

Thattai - about 20
Beetroot - 1/4 cup, shredded
Carrot -1/4 cup, shredded
Onion - 1/4 cup, shredded
Cilantro - few, chopped
Salt - to taste
Coconut oil - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Amchur powder - 1/4 tsp

For chutney

Mint- few leaves
Cilantro - few
Green chillies - 2
Dates - 3 or 4, seedless
Salt - a pinch

How to make it:

Both home-made thattai as well as store bought thattai can be used for making this evening snack. You can find the recipe for thattai here. Arrange thattai in a plate. In a bowl, mix onions, beetroot and carrot. Add salt, chilli powder and amchur powder. Add coconut oil and cilantro and mix well. Make thick mint chutney and keep it ready in a separate bowl. Take a tbsp of veggies and place it over the thattai. Do it for all the thattais. Add a little of mint chutney on top of it and cover it with another thattai. Take a bite and see how the plate goes empty in front of your eyes.... Enjoy!

Update: Thank you Lata Ji for telling me about "His cooking Event" by Priti. I'm sending this recipe to her right away... :)

Spaghetti with Spinach and Asparagus Sauce

2010-04-19T14:11:00.006-04:00

Ingredients:

Spaghetti - 1/2 box
Asparagus - 7 or 8 stems
Spinach - handful
Onion - 1, sliced thinly
Garlic - 3-4 cloves
Red chilli flakes - 1/2 tsp
Italian seasoning (oregano, basil and thyme) - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Parmesan cheese - 1 tbsp
Monetary jack cheese with Jalapeno pepper - 1/4 cup
Mozzarella cheese - 1/8 cup, shredded
Salt - to taste

How to make it:
Cook spaghetti al dente with little salt. Wash in cold water. Drain the water completely. Set aside.
Cut asparagus into 1 inch pieces. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, add the asparagus and saute on high flame. Add a dash of salt. Cook until it softens. Let it cool. Grind half of the asparagus with spinach and garlic cloves into a paste. Heat oil in a pan, add onions and fry until light brown. Add the ground paste and cook until raw smell goes. Add seasoning, red chilli flakes and the remaining asparagus. Add little salt. Add the cooked spaghetti. Mix well. Add monetary jack cheese and mozzarella cheese and fold it well. Serve hot with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

Methi Kofta and Potato Pulav

2010-04-08T08:10:00.005-04:00

I made this pulav over the weekend. The ingredients list may be too long with a little more work than making the regular rice varieties, but the pulav came out so spicy and the taste was awesome. This time when i went for grocery shopping, i picked those potatoes, that are little bigger than the baby potatoes. So, after boiling, i cut the potatoes into two and used in the recipe. If you really wanna try something hot and spicy.... Try this pulav!!

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 cup
Onion - 1 big, chopped
Potatoes - 6 or 8 small ones, boiled
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - as required
Oil - 2 tbsp
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Fennel - 1/2 tsp
Cilantro - to garnish

To Grind

Ingredients:

Corriander seeds - 1 tsp
Red chillies - 3 or 4
Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Fennel - 1/2 tsp
Cloves - 3
Cardamom - 2 or 3
Star anise - a small piece
Coconut - 1/2 cup

Slightly roast all the above ingredients in a dry pan and grind into a paste.

For Koftas

Ingredients:

Methi - 1 cup, chopped
Besan - 2 tbsp
Rice flour - 2 tbsp
Ajwain - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Salt - as required
Onion - 1/2 cup chopped
Oil - for frying

How to make it:
Mix all the ingredients together with little water and make a soft dough. Roll small balls out of the dough and deep fry in oil until golden brown.

To make pulav:

Cook rice and let it cool. Boil potatoes until just done. Cube them if not using baby potatoes. Heat oil in a pan, add cumin, fennel and onions and fry until onion turns light brown. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry until raw smell goes. Add the ground paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Add little water if required. Cook on low flame until oil separates. Drop the potatoes and cook for 2 more minutes. Add koftas and switch off the flame. Keep the pan tightly covered with a lid, for about 10-15 minutes. On a very low flame, add rice and mix well. Be careful not to break the koftas. Garnish with Cilantro. Serve hot with Chips and Onion raita!

Easy Ladoos with Health Mix

2010-03-30T14:26:00.005-04:00

When i saw these at Malar's place sometime back, I remembered my childhood days when my mom used to make these kind of ladoos. Those were the days..... we used to run if mom gives these kind of stuffs for us to eat, along with a big lecture to make us believe it is healthy (Just like what i'm doing with my kid now!! :D). Now, i would say this is one kind of the yummiest!

The health mix, as the name says, is the mixture of many healthy ingredients such as ragi, bajra, maize, jower, wheat, fried gram, rice, green gram, barley, sago, cardamom, soya, cashews and almonds.
I had some packets of Manna Health Mix in my pantry, which i use less often for making Kanji. So, i made these ladoos with lot of nice flavours in it. The result was Awesome! The ladoos came out so yummy and was gone in minutes.

Here is the recipe...

Mom's recipe - Mix together Health mix, powdered jaggery, shredded coconut and cardamom powder together. Sprinkle water or milk and make balls out of it.

My version is here--

Ingredients:

Manna health mix - 1 cup
Sugar - 1/4 cup
Honey - 1 tbsp
Coconut milk powder - 1 tbsp
MTR Badam mix - 1 tbsp
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Sliced almonds, Raisins, craisins, chopped dates - 1/2 cup
Milk or water - as required

How to make it:
Mix all the ingredients together. Sprinkle little water or milk and make equally sized balls out of it.

Mango Rice

2010-03-25T15:04:00.004-04:00

Sri Rama Navami is a Hindu festival celebrating the Birth of Lord Rama. On this day, Kalyanotsavam is performed at temples and the deities are taken to a procession on streets. At some places it is more elaborate with Bhajans, Kirtans, Puja and Aarthi followed by the distribution of Prasad. On this day, Followers of Lord Rama fast or restrict themselves to a specific diet. The special neivedyam for the day is Panakam and Neermor (Butter milk).
Source: Wiki

This time for Sri Rama Navami, I made some Mango rice along with some Panakam and Neer mor for Neivedyam.

Mango Rice

Ingredients:

Mango - 1, medium size
Rice - 1 cup
Green chillies - 4 or 5
Curry leaves - few
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Channa dal - 1 tsp
Salt - as required
Oil - 1 tbsp

How to make it:
Cook rice with just enough water. Peel the skin of an unripe mango and shred. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and when it splutters, add urad dal and channa dal. Add the curry leaves and green chillies. Fry for a while and then add the shredded mango, turmeric powder and salt. Saute for a while and then add the cooked rice. Mix well.

Panakam

Ingredients:

Water - 2 cups
Jaggery - 1/2 cup
Cardamom - 2 crushed

How to make it:
Dissolve Jaggery in little water and dilute as required. Add crushed cardamom and mix well. Let it stand for sometime until the cardamom looses the flavour in water.

Neer mor (Butter milk)

Ingredients:

Thick home made yogurt - 1 cup
Ginger - 1 tsp, shredded
Cilantro - few, chopped
Hing - a pinch
Green chillies - 1 or 2, chopped finely (if preferred)
Salt - as required

How to make it:
Beat the yogurt until there are no lumps. Add enough water to dilute. Add ginger, green chillies, hing, cilantro and little salt. Mix well.

Samosa

2010-03-17T12:40:00.004-04:00

Being a favorite for many (including me), who can say 'NO' to a plate of samosa with some tomato ketchup on the size? Will you??

For the Dough

Ingredients:

Flour - 1 cup
Sooji/ Rava - 1 tbsp
Corn flour - 1 tsp
Ajwain seeds - 1 tsp
Salt - as required
Water - for kneading
Oil -1 tsp

How to make it:

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Add water and knead into a soft dough, for about 5 minutes. Apply some oil and let it stand covered for sometime.

For the Filling

Ingredients:

Potatoes - 2 big, boiled and cubed
Onion - 1, finely chopped
Green chillies - 1 or 2, chopped
Peas - 1/4 cup, cooked
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Corriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Salt - as required
Cilantro - few, chopped
Oil - for frying

How to make it:

Heat oil in a pan, add cumin, onion, green chillies and fry until onion turns light brown. Add the cooked peas and fry for a while. Add red chilli powder, corriander powder and garam masala. Add potatoes and salt. Mash potatoes slightly (not all of them). Add some chopped cilantro. Mix well.

To make samosas

Make evenly sized balls out of the dough. Roll flat into a round shape. Cut into semi-circle with a Knife. Take one semi circle at a time. Apply water along the cut edge and fold into a cone. Hold it between your thumb and index finger just like holding an ice-cream cone. Add the potato filling inside the cone. Fold and seal the ends by applying little water. Deep fry in oil until golden brown. Serve hot with tomato ketchup!

Tip:
For crispier samosas, keep the un-fried, filled samosas in refrigerator for at least an hour or two.

Idiyappam and Plantain-Tapioca Stew

2010-03-12T13:08:00.004-05:00

Idiyappam (String hoppers) is one of the easiest dish to make. Nowadays, we get idiyappam flour in most of the stores, that can be used instantly. Even the regular rice flour will do good, if you know the tactics of how to make the dough, without any lumps. It needs an extra effort than the one prepared with idiyappam flour.
To make Idiyappam flour, soak raw rice in water for about 3 hours. Drain the water and dry the rice in a cloth. Grind into a fine powder and sieve. Let it dry in sunlight for a day. Yes! it is a long process... But, if made in large quantities, the flour can be stored for a long time and it comes handy to make idiyappams anytime. Never i tried making the flour though! This was prepared at home, back in India and i always bring some whenever i make a trip to India. To know more about Idiyappams and how to make it, Visit here.

Idiyappam

Ingredients:

Rice flour/ Idiyappam flour - 2 cups
Water - 4 cups
Oil -1 tbsp
Salt - as required

How to make it:
Dry roast the flour on a medium flame in an un-oiled pan until it is warm. Add little salt. Be careful not to turn it brown. Add Boiling water about 2 cups first (keep stirring continuously), and then the remaining water until it forms a dough. Add a tbsp of oil to get a ball of well cooked unsticky dough. Switch off the flame. When it is still warm, take a ball of the dough in idiyappam maker and press onto a greased idli plate and steam cook for about 7-10 minutes.

Plantain- Tapioca Stew

Ingredients:

Plantain - 1 medium
Tapioca - 1 small
Potato - 2
Onion - 1 big, chopped
Tomato - 1, chopped
Coconut milk - 1 cup
Cashew paste - 2 tsp
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp
Fennel - 1/2 tsp
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Cloves - 2 or 3, crushed
Cardamom - 2 or 3, crushed
Bay leaf - 1
Curry leaves - few
Green chillies -2, slit
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Rice flour - 1 tbsp (optional)
Fresh home made yogurt - 1/4 cup
Cilantro - to garnish
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt - as required

How to make it:
Wash tapioca in running hot water to remove the wax coating. Pressure cook potatoes, plantain and tapioca with the skin. Once done, remove the skin and cube them. Heat oil in a pan, add fennel, cumin, bay leaf, cloves and cardamom. When it sizzles, add onions, green chillies, curry leaves and ginger-garlic paste. Fry until the raw smell goes off. Add tomatoes and fry for a while. Add the cubed veggies, salt, turmeric powder and red chilli powder and cook for a minute. Add coconut milk and cook covered until all flavours mix well. Add little water if required. Add cashew paste. (Use rice flour to thicken the gravy if it is watery). Cook until the stew thickens. Add yogurt and mix well. Garnish with cilantro. Serve hot with Idiyappams.

The stew recipe here is my own Idea, so I'm sending this to Srilekha for her Submit your recipes! page.

Gujarati Thali

2010-03-03T12:07:00.008-05:00

Gujarati Cuisine is primarily Vegetarian. A typical thali consists of Roti/ poori, Dhal, Kadhi, Shaak (vegetables), Farsan (Appetizers), Mithai (sweets), Home made pickles and Chaas (Butter milk). Most of the preparation consists of a small amount of sugar/ jaggery added as an ingredient, which makes the dish kind of sweet to taste. Though not much elaborate, i made this Gujarati thali last week for an occasion at home. It is always wonderful to learn other cuisines and try different kinds of food. Got these recipe ideas from a Gujarati friend of mine and also from here, modified to my taste!! :) The amount of ingredients given below serves 2-3 people.

Menu:

Besan Ladoo
Tindora and Hyacinth beans fry
Peas potato baaji
Dhal
Cucumber raita
Chaas
Poori
Rice and
Fried green chillies

Besan Ladoo

Ingredients:

Besan / Gram flour - 1 cup
Sugar - 3/4 to 1 cup
Fine sooji/ Rava - 1/4 cup
Ghee - 1/3 cup
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
Cloves - 4, crushed
Almonds - 2 tbsp, silvered
Cashews - to decorate

How to make it:

Dry roast besan and rava on low heat for few minutes. Add ghee and mix well until the besan absorbs all ghee, for about 5 minutes. Switch off the flame. Add cardamom powder, cloves and almonds. When the besan is still warm, add the sugar and mix well. Make evenly sized balls. Decorate with roasted cashews. Stiffens as it cools. Makes about 12 balls.

Tindora and Hyacinth beans fry (Shaak)

Ingredients:

Tindora - 1 cup, cut lengthwise
Hyacinth beans - 1/2 cup, chopped
Onion - 1, chopped
Tomato - 1/2 cup, chopped
Cloves - 2
Cardamom - 2 crushed
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Ginger - 1/2 tsp, shredded
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Dhania -jeera powder - 1 tsp
Hing - a pinch
Salt - as required
Besan/ gram flour - 1 tsp
Cilantro - to garnish

How to make it:

Heat oil in a pan, add cloves, cardamom, fennel and cumin. When it sizzles, add ginger and onions and fry until onion turns translucent. Add all the powders mentioned in the ingredients, except salt. Fry for a while. Add tomatoes, tindora, hyacinth beans and salt. The water from tomatoes must be sufficient to cook the veggies. Cook covered on low-medium heat until done. Sprinkle 1 tsp of besan and mix well. Garnish with cilantro.

Peas-potato baaji

Ingredients:

Potato - 2, boiled
Peas - 1/2 cup, cooked
Onion - 1, chopped
Tomato - 1, chopped
Cloves - 2
Cardamom - 2, crushed
Cinnamon - 1/2 inch piece
Fennel - 1/2 tsp
Green chillies - 3 or 4
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Corriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - as required
Besan/ gram flour - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Ghee - 1 tsp
Cilantro - to garnish

How to make it:

Heat oil + ghee in a pan. Add cloves, cardamom, fennel and cinnamon. When it sizzles, add green chillies and onions and fry until onion turns light brown. Add tomatoes and cook until tomatoes become soft. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder and corriander powder. Add boiled and cubed potatoes, cooked peas and fry for a while. Add 1 1/2 cups water and salt. Cook covered for about 5 minutes. Add besan mixed with little water to thicken the gravy. Cook until thick. Garnish with cilantro.

Dhal

Ingredients:

Toor dal - 1/2 cup
Tomatoes - 1, chopped
Ginger- chilli paste - 1 tsp
Peanuts - 1/4 cup, roasted
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon - a small piece
Bay leaf - 1
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Hing - a pinch
Salt - as required
Jaggery - a small piece , if preferred
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Curry leaves - few, to garnish
Cilantro - to garnish
Oil - 1 tbsp
Ghee - 1 tsp
Lemon juice - 2 tsp

How to make it:

Pressure cook toor dal with enough water. Mash the dal well. Heat oil + ghee in a pan, add bay leaf, cloves, cumin and cinnamon. When it sizzles add tomatoes and hing. Cook until tomatoes becomes soft. Add ginger-chilli paste and saute for a while. Add Peanuts, cooked toor dal, salt, jaggery and turmeric powder. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Garnish with curry leaves and cilantro. Add a squeeze of lemon.

Cucumber raita

Ingredients:

Fresh home made yogurt - 1 cup
Cucumber - 1, peeled and shredded
Salt - as required
Cilantro - 1 tsp, chopped

How to make it:

Beat the yogurt well. Add cucumber, salt and cilantro. Mix well.

Chaas

Ingredients:

Fresh Home made yogurt - 1 cup
Cilantro - 1 tsp, finely chopped
Green chillies - 1, finely chopped (if preferred)
Hing - a pinch
Salt - as required
Ginger - 1/2 tsp, shredded

How to make it:

Beat the yogurt well. Dilute with 1 to 1 1/2 cups water.Add finely chopped cilantro, green chillies and ginger. Add salt and hing. Mix well. Serve chilled.

Poori

Ingredients:

Wheat flour - 1 cup
Salt - as required
Water - to knead
Oil - for frying

How to make it:

Knead the dough by adding salt and water. Add 1 tsp of oil while kneading to get a soft dough. Make balls out of the dough. Roll each ball into small round shape and fry in oil until it puffs up and becomes light brown.

Rice

Cook rice with cloves and cardamom for a wonderful aroma....

Fried chillies

Ingredients:

Green chillies - 7-8 nos.
Besan flour - 1 tbsp
Hing - a pinch
Salt - as required
Oil - for frying

How to make it:

Mix besan, salt and hing. Add wet green chillies and mix well so that the chillies are nicely coated with flour. Deep fry in oil.

Looking for other Indian regional Cuisines?
Here is the full course meal of Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Rajasthan

Milagu Aval and Rava Kesari for Ekadasi

2010-02-23T10:25:00.005-05:00

These are the dishes made for Ekadasi this time.. Though we don't follow strict fasting, we do fast for the day with very little food. The fasting always ends with ekadasi prasadam (no onion- no garlic dish. Rice, beans, grains and certain spices are not included).
For my other posts related to ekadasi - visit here and here.

Milagu Aval

Ingredients:

Aval/Poha/Rice flakes - 1 cup
Pepper - 3 tbsp, finely ground
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - few
Cashews - few

How to make it:

Soak poha in water for about 10 minutes. Squeeze the poha to drain out water. Heat ghee in a pan, add mustard seeds and when it splutters, add urad dal and fry until it turns light brown. Add cashews, cumin, pepper powder and curry leaves. Add poha and salt. Mix well.

Rava Kesari

Ingredients:

Rava/ sooji - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 1/4 cups
Water - about 1 1/2 cups
Cashews - few
Raisins - few
Ghee - 1/3 to 1/2 cup
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Camphor - a pinch
Orange food colour - a pinch

How to make it:

Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a pan and fry Rava until it looks crisp. Be careful not to turn it brown. Add the water and cook rava. Add sugar and food colour (dissolved in little water, to spread easily). Cook on medium heat, mixing well and adding ghee little by little. Add cardamom powder and cashews and raisins fried in ghee. Add a pinch of camphor. Mix well until done. The amount of sugar mentioned above is optimal. Add 1/4 cup more sugar if required.

Ven Pongal and a Wonderful Combo!

2010-02-15T14:40:00.004-05:00

Whenever i make ven pongal at home, it is always a must to make some vadas to make it a satisfying meal. Also, it is one of the best and lovely combo, i can say!

Ven pongal

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 cup
Moong dal - 3/4 cup
Ghee - 1/4 to 1/2 cup
Ginger - 1 tbsp, shredded
Curry leaves - few
Whole black pepper - 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
Cashews - few
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Salt - as required

How to make it:

Dry roast moong dal slightly. Pressure cook together with rice, turmeric powder and enough water. Heat ghee in a deep bottom pan, add the cashews, curry leaves, ginger, pepper and cumin and fry for a while. ( Use whole black pepper and cumin directly or make a coarse powder before adding ). Add the cooked rice dal mixture and salt and mix well on a low flame. Serve hot with a dollop of ghee on top.

Coconut chutney

Ingredients:

Shredded coconut - 3/4 cup
Roasted gram /pottu kadalai/ Chutney dal - 4 tbsp
Green chillies - 2 or 3
Curry leaves - few
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Red chillies - 1 or 2
Tamarind - a little
Asafoetida - a pinch
Salt - as required
Oil - 1 tbsp

How to make it:

Grind coconut, roasted gram, green chillies and tamarind with salt and water into a thick paste. Do the seasoning with the remaining ingredients and pour over the chutney.

Onion vada

I have already posted the recipe for medhu vada here.

Onion vada - To the medhu vada batter, add some finely chopped onions and cilanto leaves and make vadas.
Cabbage vada - To the medhu vada batter, add finely chopped cabbage and make vadas.

I am sending this wonderful combo to "The Combo Event" going on at Foodelicious.
I am also sending my Adai Avial combo for this event.

Potato Dry Curry

2010-02-08T15:28:00.004-05:00

This is a mild to medium spicy curry and yet very tasty! Good as a side dish for rice and rotis.

Ingredients:

Boiled potatoes - 3, medium size
Onion - 1 big, chopped
Tomato - 1, finely chopped
Garlic - 2 crushed or 1 tsp garlic paste
Dhania- jeera powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Crushed red pepper - 1 tsp
Green chillies - 2 slit
Curry leaves - few
Cashews - few
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Salt - to taste
Oil- 2 tbsp

How to make it:

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and when it splutters, add cumin, fennel seeds, cashews, green chillies, curry leaves, and onions and fry until onion becomes translucent. Add garlic paste, red chilli flakes, turmeric powder, dhania-jeera powder and fry for a while. Add tomatoes and cook until it becomes soft. Add potato, salt and cook until nice golden brown. Add a tsp of corn flour, if you need a crispy finish.

Paneer Butter Masala

2010-02-02T09:54:00.004-05:00

I would always call this a Royal dish.. because of the aromatic flavours of spices blended nicely in a rich and creamy gravy. This goes good with any kind of bread or Rice.

Ingredients:

Paneer (Cottage cheese) - 1 cup cubed
Onion - 1 big, chopped
Tomatoes - 2 medium, pureed
Cashews - 8-10 whole
Almonds - 5-6 blanched
Ginger - 1 tbsp, shredded
Cardamom - 4 nos., crushed
Cloves - 2 nos., crushed
Bay leaf - 1
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
Red chilli powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Corriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp (if preferred)
Cilantro - to garnish
Butter - about 3 tbsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt - as required

How to make it:

Heat little butter in a pan, add the cashews, almonds and onions and fry until onion becomes translucent. Let it cool and then grind into a paste. Fry paneer in oil until golden brown. Set aside. Heat oil and butter in a pan, add bay leaf, cardamom, cloves, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, cinnamon and ginger. Add the garam masala and corriander powder and fry for a while. Add the onion paste and fry until oil separates. Add the red chilli powder, turmeric powder, 1/2 cup water and salt. Add the tomato puree and cook until the oil separates and the gravy is thick. Add the fried paneer and cook not more than a minute. Garnish with cilantro. Serve hot with your choice of bread or rice.
I had about half a cup of left over cooked peas that i did not want to waste. So tossed them into the gravy while cooking. Also, see here for how to make paneer at home.

Thayir Vada (Dahi Vada)

2010-01-25T10:39:00.003-05:00

Ingredients:

Urad dhal - 3/4 cup
Asafoetida powder - 1/4 tsp
Ginger - 1 tsp, shredded
Dry red chillies - 2 or 3
Green chillies - 2
Curry leaves - few
Cilantro - 1 tbsp, chopped
Salt - as required
Oil - for frying

For Soaking:

Fresh home made thick Yogurt - 1 cup
Salt - a pinch
Ginger- green chilli paste - 1 tsp
Cilantro paste - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - to garnish
Chat Masala - to garnish
Cilantro - chopped, to garnish

How to make it:

Soak urad dhal in water for about 2 to 3 hours. Grind with asafoetida, salt, ginger and chillies. The batter should be soft and thick. Sprinkle little water if needed while grinding. Add curry leaves and cilantro. Mix well. Take the batter and make into vada shape and deep fry in oil until light brown. Visit my medhu vada post for a detailed instruction of how to get vada shape.
In a bowl, mix yogurt, salt, ginger-chilli paste and cilantro paste. Soak the fried vada in the yogurt and let it stand for about 10 minutes. Take the vadas out carefully and arrange on a plate. Add the rest of the yogurt over the vadas.Sprinkle some red chilli powder and chat masala (if preferred). Garnish with cilantro. Serve.

Easy pizza using Pillsbury Grands Refrigerated Biscuits

2009-12-14T09:48:00.004-05:00

Inspired from the Pillsbury calender, This is a very easy to make recipe and kid's just love it! Ready in just 15 minutes, it makes a great after school snack! I tried this recipe using Pillsbury Grands Flaky layers original Biscuits and Home style Buttermilk biscuits. Both came out tasty! Visit Pillsbury for money saving coupons.

Ingredients:

Pillsbury grands biscuits (refrigerated) - 1 roll, ready to bake
Marinara sauce (store bought)
Cut veggies (Onions, bell peppers)
Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Crushed red pepper - to sprinkle (optional)
Italian seasoning - to sprinkle

How to make it:

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Pop open the Pillsbury grands biscuits can. Separate the Biscuits. Arrange on a greased cookie sheet and slightly flatten. Apply some marinara sauce, add the veggies of your choice, add the mozzarella cheese and bake for about 12-14 minutes. Sprinkle some crushed red pepper and Italian seasoning if preferred.

A simple meal idea!

2009-11-18T10:10:00.003-05:00

Here is a simple meal idea for a difference from the usual. :) pulkas with bell pepper sabji, aloo poha and a cup of fresh home-made yogurt. When made without garlic and onions this is a wonderful meal for fasting on ekadasi or any other days.

Aloo Poha

Ingredients:

Poha (Rice flakes) - 1 cup
Potato - 1, peeled and finely chopped
Onion - 1 , finely chopped
Green chillies - 3 or 4, slit
Roasted peanuts - 1/2 cup
Ginger - 1 tsp, shredded
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
Corriander leaves - to garnish
Curry leaves - few
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tbsp

How to make it:

Soak poha in water for about 10 minutes. Squeeze to drain the water. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds. when it splutters, add urad dhal, onions, green chillies, ginger and curry leaves. Fry until onion turns translucent. Add the potatoes, turmeric powder, salt and asafoetida and cook until potato is well cooked. Add the peanuts. Add the poha and mix well on low flame. Garnish with corriander leaves. Switch off the flame. Close the pan with a tight lid and let it stand until ready to be served. (The poha becomes dry if kept open!)

Pulkas

Ingredients:

Wheat flour - 2 cups
Water - to knead,as required
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tsp

How to make it:

Mix salt and flour. Add water little by little and make a soft dough. Add oil and knead for one more time. Apply little more oil on dough and set aside for about 3 hours. Make small balls out of the dough and press flat with a rolling pin. Heat a tava, spread the rolled dough and cook until it turns light brown on one side. It puffs up. Now cook the other side of the pulkas by directly showing it over the flame with the help of tongs. Apply some ghee on the pulkas and fold into four. Keep it in a hot pack layered with a thin cloth. Close tightly.

Bell pepper sabji

This is a simple sabji with no much spices or garam masala. But the taste is wonderful!

Ingredients:

Bell pepper - 1, medium size, chopped
Onion - 1, finely chopped
Tomatoes - 2, plum medium size, finely chopped
Red chillies - 2
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida powder - 1/2 tsp
salt - as required
oil- 2 tbsp
Curry leaves - to garnish

How to make it:

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and when it splutters, add urad dhal, red chillies and asafoetida. Add onions and fry until it turns light brown. Add the bell pepper and saute until half cooked. Add tomatoes, red chilli powder and salt. Cook for a while. Add 1/2 cup water and cook covered on low heat for about 10 minutes. Garnish with curry leaves.

Rasmalai and Mixture

2009-10-19T12:11:00.005-04:00

Hi all.... Hope you all had a wonderful Diwali Celebration. This time, its a Saturday so could celebrate with few gatherings. Made some Rasmalai and Mixture for Sweets and Snacks, decorated home with few lamps and colourful lights. No fire crackers though,.... follow state law!
Coming to the recipes,

Rasmalai

Ingredients:

Ricotta Cheese - 1 lb (at room temperature)
Whole milk - 7 or 8 cups
Sugar - 1 1/2 to 2 cups
MTR Badam Mix - 4 tbsp
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Saffron - a big pinch

How to make it:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix ricotta cheese and 1/4 cup sugar in a bowl. Fill a non-stick muffin pan with the cheese mixture , about 1 tbsp each. Bake for about 1/2 hour or until set. Tooth pick inserted should come out clean. Be careful not to over heat (Turns brown when over heated). Take out the cakes by inverting the muffin pan onto a cookie sheet. Let it cool.
Meanwhile, In a deep pan, add the milk and bring it to a boil. Let it boil in low flame for about 15 minutes. Add the remaining sugar, MTR mix and Cardamom powder. Boil until the milk becomes little thick. Garnish with saffron. Let it cool.
Drop the cakes carefully into the milk. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Mixture

Ingredients:

Besan flour - 2 cups
Rice flour - 1 cup
Rice flakes (Poha) - 3/4 cup
Peanuts - 1/2 cup
Cashews - 2 tbsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2tsp + 1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp
Salt - as required
Asafoetida powder - 1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp
Butter - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Oil - for frying

How to make it:

Boondhi:
Heat oil in a deep pan. Mix 1 cup besan flour, 1/2 cup rice flour, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder, salt, 1/2 tsp asafoetida with water. It should be in the consistency of a thick batter. Keeping the ladle with holes over the oil, pour little of the mixture and press with another ladle. This makes small round balls. Fry until it turns nice orange colour. Take onto a paper towel to absorb excess oil. Continue doing with the remaining batter.
Oma podi:
Mix 1 cup besan flour, 1/2 cup rice flour, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp butter, 1/2 tsp asafoetida and salt with little water. Make a soft dough. Take a ball of the dough into a Muruku press with slotted holes as base. Press lightly over the hot oil. Fry until golden brown. Take onto a paper towel to absorb excess oil. Crush the oma podi into small pieces.
Fry peanuts, rice flakes and cashew nuts in oil separately. Fry few curry leaves.
In a small bowl, make a mixture of red chilli powder, salt and asafoetida. In a large bowl, mix everything together. Store in an air tight container.

Getting creative with breads

2009-10-09T15:18:00.009-04:00

Last week there was a parcel at my doorstep and.... wondering what it would be, i picked up the package and found that it was from Foodbuzz (as a part of the taste maker programme with Nature's Pride bread)

It consisted of - a loaf of 12 Grain bread and a loaf of Whole wheat bread. I tried lot of recipes using these breads like sandwiches, crispy and spicy cuts with veggies and bread balls. These really are, a hit on the table! We simply loved it! As the name says, Nature's Pride breads are made with some of the finest natural ingredients and to be specific the whole wheat bread was just awesome! Never hesitate to try those varieties.

Coming to the recipe,

Bread Balls

Ingredients:

Nature's Pride whole wheat bread - 8 slices
Spinach - 1 cup chopped
Onions - 1/2 cup finely chopped
Jalapenos - 2 tsp, finely chopped
Pepper - a dash
Oregano - a dash
Crushed red peppers - if preferred, to taste ( just in case if u want it little spicy)
Mozzarella cheese - 4 oz shredded
Corn flour - 1 tbsp, made into a paste with little water
Salt - to taste
Oil - for frying

How to make it:

In a bowl, add spinach, onions, jalapenos, pepper, oregano, crushed red peppers and salt. Mix well. Remove the ends of the bread slices (save it for making bread crumbs). Dip the bread in a bowl of water and squeeze the water by keeping the bread between your palms. Now you have it in the consistency of a dough. Keep some spinach and cheese mixture in the center and cover it with the bread and make into balls. Dip in corn flour and deep fry in oil until it turns light brown. Shallow frying or baking is also a good option.

Serve hot with a sauce. I served with a chunky salsa, it was tasting wonderful!

Salsa

Ingredients:

Hunt's fire roasted diced tomatoes - 1/2 can
Onion - 1/4 cup, chopped
Bell pepper - 1/4 cup, chopped
Jalapeno - 1, finely chopped
Taco seasoning - 1/2 tsp
Lime juice - 1 tsp
Cilantro - 2 tbsp, chopped and to garnish
Salt - as required

How to make it:

Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan, add bell peppers, jalapenos and onions and fry well. Let it cool. In a blender or food processor, add the fried peppers and onions, taco seasoning, salt, cilantro and half of the tomatoes. Pulse for just 2 or 3 times. Take onto a bowl. Add the remaining tomatoes and a squeeze of lime. Garnish with cilantro.

Veggies 'n Rice

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 cup
Onions - 1, finely chopped
Bell pepper - 1/2 cup, chopped lengthwise
Carrots,Beans, Peas - 1/2 cup chopped
Tomato paste - 1 1/2 tbsp
Garlic - 2 cloves, finely chopped
Jalapenos - 1, finely chopped
Bay leaf - 1
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
Saffron - 1 big pinch
Salt - as required
Cilantro - to garnish
Mint - to garnish, if preferred
Oil - 2 to 3 tbsp
Water - required for cooking 1 cup rice (depends on the rice used)

How to make it:

Heat oil in a heavy bottom non-stick pan (the one with lid), add bay leaf, cloves and cinnamon. When it sizzles, add garlic, onions and jalapenos. Fry until onion becomes translucent. Add bell peppers, carrots, beans and peas. Add the tomato paste and saute. Now add rice and fry for a while. Add water and salt. Bring it to a boil. Add the saffron. Cover with lid and simmer heat for about 15 minutes or until done. Open the lid, mix it well. Garnish with cilantro and mint and close with the lid. Let it stand until serving.

This is the platter i served over the weekend. A happy and complete meal! Moreover its 100% vegetarian!

Baked bread with veggies

Ingredients:

Bread - 6 slices (3 nos. Nature's Pride 12 grain bread and 3 nos. Nature's pride Whole wheat bread)
Onion - 1, chopped
Bell peppers - 1 cup, chopped
Ginger - 1 tsp, shredded
Tomato paste - 1 1/2 tbsp
Green chilli - 1 , slit
Crushed red pepper - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Cilantro - to garnish
Oil - 2 tbsp
Butter - 1 tbsp plus to spread
Salt - to taste

How to make it:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread butter on both sides of the bread. Cut into pieces. Bake for about 10-12 minutes. Heat oil and butter in a pan, add fennel and cumin. When it sizzles, add onions, ginger and green chilli. Fry until onion becomes translucent. Add the bell peppers and saute until it gets half cooked. Add tomato paste, turmeric powder, red peppers, garam masala and salt. Saute well. Add the baked bread pieces and mix well until it gets nicely coated. Garnish with cilantro. Serve hot with tomato sauce.

Back to blogging... With some sweets and snacks

2009-10-05T13:19:00.008-04:00

Hello All.... I'm back! Blogging after almost 3 months. The summer vacation is over!!! Before we could realise its a peak of summer, the weather turned cold :-(
We went to India for our vacation and had a very good time there. Now, back to routines !

Will catch up with all your blogposts and delicious recipes soon.

Coming to the recipe, these are the neivedyams i made for Saraswathy pooja. (Sorry! for the delayed post)
Parupu payasam, Both sweet and spicy whole moong sundal and medhu vadas. I have already posted my medhu vada recipe here.

Parupu Payasam

Ingredients:

Moong dal - 1/2 cup
Channa dal - 1/4 cup
Dark Brown sugar - 3/4 cup (or as per taste)
Cardamom - 3 or 4 crushed
Coconut milk powder - 1 tsp
Camphor - a pinch
Cashews - few
Ghee - 1 tsp

How to make it:

Cook moong and channa dal together until just done with water. Add the powdered brown sugar and mix it well. Let it boil until it becomes little thick. Add the cardamom powder and coconut milk powder. Add the cashews fried in little ghee and a pinch of camphor. Serve hot!

Sundal

Soak whole green moong dal overnight. Pressure cook until done.

Sweet sundal

Ingredients:

Whole green moong dal - 1/2 cup
Brown sugar - 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup
Cardamom - 2 or 3 crushed
Coconut - 2 tbsp, shredded
Cashews - few, fried in ghee

How to make it:

Dissolve brown sugar in water and bring it to a boil. Add the cooked whole moong, coconut and cardamom and cook until it becomes thick. Garnish with cashews fried in ghee.

Spicy sundal

Ingredients:

Whole green moong dal - 1/2 cup
Coconut - 2 tbsp, shredded
Dried red chillies - 2 or 3
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Asafoetida - a pinch
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Salt - as required
Curry leaves - few

How to make it:

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and when it splutters, add red chillies and urad dal. Add the moong, asafoetida, chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Add shredded coconut and garnish with curry leaves.

Chakli / Murukku

2009-07-10T09:37:00.004-04:00

Ingredients:

Rice flour - 1 1/2 cups
Besan - 1/4 cup
Moong Flour - 1/4 cup
Urad Flour - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tbsp
Salt - as required
Asafoetida - 1 tsp
Ajwain seeds - 1 1/2 tsp
Water - for kneading
Oil - for frying
Plastic sheet or wax paper

How to make it:

Dry roast moong dal until it turns light brown and grind into a fine powder. Dry roast rice flour and besan until warm ( do not over heat). Let it cool. Heat oil in a deep bottom pan. In a bowl, mix all the flour, chilli powder, salt, ajwain and asafoetida. Add water and knead into a soft dough. Add few tbsp of hot oil while kneading. This gives a crispier snack. Take a ball of dough and fill the mould with a single star plate. Lay a wax paper or a greased plastic sheet. Press the handle of the mould and slowly make the desired shape. Drop into the hot oil and fry until golden brown. Take onto a paper towel to drain excess oil. You can even directly press the dough into the oil ( no proper shape in this case, but the taste is same :) ) Enjoy!

Lata Raja of Flavours and Tastes has awarded me with "One Lovely Blog" award... I feel flattered! Thanks Lata for passing me this beautiful award. I have updated that in my Index page.