Mysore Cookbook

Bisibele bhaath masala powder

2018-11-09T13:35:00.002-08:00

As i had promised, I am back with the recipe of bisibele bhaat masala powder recipe. Generally, in South India, we make the powders of varieties of spices, to keep it ready for use whenever needed. It used to be a tradition in every household, to prepare Masala powders like our Bele saaru pudi and Mutton sambhar powder, Happala ( Pappads ), Sandige (Fryums) and Pickles especially during summer. Now since most of the things are available readily in shops, many don't bother to go through a bit tedious process of making all the masala powders at home. Thanks to our family, which has never stopped making our yearly requirement of masala powders. It's the same with me as well. Even though I stay here abroad , I prefer homemade masala powders. Some masalas I get from my family since they prepare in bulk and give me some of it. And the others like Vangi bhaath powder, Bisibele bhaath powder etc I prepare them at home.
Since I am a huge fan of Bisibele bhaath, I always make sure I have this masala ready in my pantry.
The recipe i am sharing here is really easy and doesn't take much time at all. Just dry roast the ingredients, powder it and then you are ready to go. Refer my Bisibele bhaath recipe to know how to use this masala powder.

Ingredients :

Byadagi chillies / Kashmiri red chillies - 20
Guntur chillies - 20
Coriander seeds - 6 tsp
Channa dal - 2 tsp
Urad dal - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Poppy seeds - 1 tsp
Peppercorns - 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon sticks - 2 pieces
Cloves - 4
Moggu - 3 (optional, i have not included)
Salt - 1 tsp

Preparing Bisibele bhaath masala powder :

Dry roast all the ingredients separately in a low flame.
Transfer onto a plate and let it cool.
In a mixer, blend all the ingredients together until it turns to a fine powder.
Transfer to a plate and let it cool.
Then add salt and mix well. Store it in an air tight container and it can be used up to 6 months.

Give this recipe a try and you will find a great difference compared to the store - bought ones. Follow me on Pinterest to get regular updates on new posts. Thank you!!

Masala vada / Dal vada recipe / Channa dal vada recipe

2018-10-29T13:53:00.002-07:00

Masala vada or Masale vade, as we call it in Kannada is the vada made of channa dal or also from Thannikaalu / Alasandekaalu. It's also known as Thannibele vade. Normally we make the vadas out of channa dal itself but in our native where the Alasande is widely available, we make it with the same. The recipe looks similar to Falafel, the middle Eastern recipe, the difference being Falafel is made of Chickpeas.
During the cold months, we get lots of this variety of pulses in our hometown. Same with Thadanikaalu/ Alasandekaalu. The beans are taken from the pods, cleaned and washed. It is dried and beaten, and thus can be stored for long. Whenever required or whenever Vadas are wished for, they will be made by soaking them.
As I had said in my previous post, Pithrupaksha went by a few weeks back. And for this special pooja of our ancestors, the masala vada with Payasa is a must. This is a special combination popular in Mandya region of Karnataka as Vade - payasa. This Vada along with Hesarubele Payasa ( Mung dal Payasa) is the highlight on that occasion. Anybody who doesn't know about the combination yet, should try it. Both Masale Vade and Hesarubele payasa are such delicacies themselves but the combination of both is heavenly. So let's get into making this heavenly recipe.

Ingredients :

Channa dal - 1 cup , soaked for 3 to 4 hours and drained well
Curry leaves - few, chopped finely
Coriander leaves - few, chopped finely
Dill leaves - few sprigs, chopped finely
Green chillies - 2, chopped finely ( optional)
Onion - 1 big, Chopped finely
Oil - to fry the vadas
Salt - 1 1/4 tsp

To grind :

Coconut - 1/4 cup, fresh or frozen
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon stick - 1" piece
Ginger - 2 " piece, slit
Garlic - 8 cloves
Green chillies - 2
Red chillies - 3
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Preparing Dal vada:

In a mixer jar, take all the ingredients mentioned under " To grind" along with 2 tbsp of soaked and drained channa dal. Blend this into a fine paste. Transfer it to a mixing bowl.
Then add the remaining soaked Channa dal little by little into the same mixer jar and pulse to a coarse paste. Transfer this into the same mixing bowl.
Now add the chopped dill leaves, chopped coriander leaves, chopped onions, green chillies, curry leaves and salt to the ground Channa dal . Mix everything together. Check the salt. If required, add little chilli powder.
Heat oil in a pan. Add a spoon of hot oil into the dal vada mix. Mix well.
Wet your hands and take a small portion of the mix . Make small spheres out of it and press into thin patties.
Slide into the hot oil and deep fry until golden brown on both sides. Remove onto a paper towel.
Masala Vada or Chana dal Vada is ready to be served. It is best served with Chutney or Hesarubele Payasa / Mung dal payasa. If not anything, they can be relished as it is.

So, this was the recipe Of Masala Vada / Channa dal Vada or Vade as we call it. Hopefully this turns out the best for you as well. Follow me on Pinterest to get updates on newer posts. Thanks for stopping by!!

Badam puri recipe

2018-10-15T13:46:00.001-07:00

Badam Puri is a sweet dish / dessert normally prepared with all purpose flour/ Maida , deep fried and dunked in sugar syrup. Badam means Almonds. But strangely, this sweet does not have almonds in it. This crunchy and soft , both at the same time sweet takes very little time to make and is mouth watering too. This dish first created curiosity in me when I was a small kid. I happened to come across a TV cookery show where it was being prepared. The image of the unique cone shape and golden brown fried sweet, dipped in sugar syrup made me think how delicious it would taste. Then it took so many years for me to try out different kinds of recipes and finally, with lots of modifications got this recipe right.
As i wanted to give some twist to this sweet dish , i added some ingredients which gives a rich flavour to this recipe. After a few trials, finally I got them right. So, the recipe is here.

Ingredients:

All purpose flour- 1 cup
Milk powder - 1/4 cup
Badam powder - 1 tbsp ( I have used Maiya's brand Badam powder)
Salt - a pinch
Turmeric powder - 1 /4 tsp
Cloves - few, to seal the Badam puri
Water - to knead the dough
Oil - a few drops

For the sugar syrup :

Sugar - 1 cup
Water - 1/4 cup
Cardamom pods - 1 or 2
Lemon juice - 1/2 tsp

Preparing Badam Puri :

In a mixing bowl, take All purpose flour, Milk powder, Badam powder, salt and Turmeric powder. Mix everything well.
Add water little by little and knead into a smooth dough. The dough will stick to the hands while trying to knead. At this stage, add a few drops of oil to the hands and knead. This prevents the dough sticking to the hands.
After kneading, tuck the dough, cover it and allow it to rest for half an hour.
After 30 minutes, divide the dough into equal portions and start rolling like a Chapati. The rolled dough should neither be very thin or thick. To get a nice and round shape, cookie cutter or any circular lid can be used.
Once the circular shape is achieved, fold the dough in half and once again into a half to make a cone shape.
Seal the edges of the cone shape by pricking a clove into them, so that the pointed side of the clove comes out from the other end. This is done to secure the edges while frying.
Similarly make all the Badam Puris and keep covered with a wet cloth.
In a different pan, take water, sugar and cardamom pods and let it boil. keep stirring until the sugar dissolves. Let it boil for 5 minutes. Then switch off the flame and add the lemon juice. This prevents crystallisation of sugar.
Now, deep fry the Badam Puris in low flame, until it is golden brown on both sides. If the flame is high, the inside of the Puri remains without fried.
Pour the prepared warm sugar syrup over the Puris and allow it to sit for 1 hour.

This allows the Puris absorb the sugar syrup. Then take out the Badam Puris and serve.

** Add a few strands of kesar to the sugar syrup to enhance the flavour and colour.
So, this was the recipe of Badam Puris. Please do give it a try and feel free to leave your feedback on this recipe. Until next recipe.. Bye!!

Kodubale recipe

2018-10-03T15:22:00.002-07:00

Kodubale is the name of the savory snack made basically with rice flour along with some other ingredients and spices. Since i can't give a parallel meaning word in English, I will just call it Kodubale itself.
Kodubale has been our favourite since we were kids. This is the season of Pithrupaksha where our ancestors are offered prayers and many many varieties of dishes, snacks and sweets. Kodubale too, had it's place among them, without fail. As kids, we would just wait for the prayers to be over and even before that, we would all have planned, who is going to pick which snack or sweets. Those were the fun days which are etched in my memory.
Even my kids love savory dishes more than the sweets and so I almost always have one or the other snack on hand for them. They just love Kodubale.

Bale means bangle in Kannada ( our mother tongue). Since this snack is made in a bangle shape, it is called so. Kodubale is the easiest to make instantly. With a handful of ingredients, the yield is more. I got this Kodubale recipe from my aunt who has been making them for decades now and has an expertise on them. I have myself been following this recipe since a few years as well. I can assure, this is the foolproof recipe. So let's begin making Kodubale.

Ingredients:

Rice flour - 1 cup
All purpose flour/ Maida - 1 cup
Semolina - 1 cup
Dry coconut + Peanuts ( coarsely powdered) - 1 cup
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Sesame seeds - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - few, chopped
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Butter - 2 tsp
Salt - 1 1/2 tsp
Water - 1 cup
Oil - for deep frying

Method of preparing Kodubale :

In a mixing bowl, take Rice flour, all purpose flour , Semolina, Cumin seeds, sesame seeds, curry leaves, red chilli powder and salt.
In a mixer, coarsely pulse peanuts and grated dry coconut. Add to the mixing bowl and mix well with other ingredients.
Heat the butter until hot. Make a well in the center of the mixing bowl and add the hot butter. Mix well until it has a crumble texture.
Add water gradually to the mixture and knead it into a soft but not sticky dough. The semolina absorbs moisture hence the dough must be little soft. Apply oil on the dough, cover it and let it rest for at least 20 minutes.
Heat oil in a pan. Meanwhile, take a small portion of the dough and roll on a greased surface to make it into a thin elongated shape. Then bring the dough to make a circular shape like a ring , join the edges and pinch them as shown in the pictures below. Similarly make a few more, until the oil gets heated.
Once the oil is hot, slide the rolled kodubale slowly. Reduce the heat little and fry until both the sides turn golden brown. Transfer onto a paper towel and repeat the process with the rest of the dough.
Hot and spicy Kodubale is ready to be savoured along with hot tea or coffee, perfect to be served on a cold/ chilly evening as a snack.

* Any snack should be deep fried in medium to low heat. This is to ensure the snack gets cooked evenly on the inside too.
So, this was the recipe of Kodubale. Please do give it a try and let me know how it turned out for you. Follow me on Googe+ and Pinterest to get updates on new posts. Thanks for being here. Bye!!

Radish Sambhar with Instant Sambhar mix

2018-09-24T13:57:00.002-07:00

We cook and savour a lot of dishes during the festivals. Cooking so many dishes in a day or two somehow drains all my interest to cook in the next couple of days. So, this recipe comes to my aid in those days. It's just a week after Ganesh Chaturthi, and I have already made this Sambhar twice.
In my previous post, I have detailed about the Instant sambhar mix recipe. Here, in this post, let's see how to prepare sambhar out of that Instant Sambhar mix.
This sambhar mix is based on the bele saaru recipe, which is prepared in my native place. Though the ingredients used here are almost similar to the bele saaru pudi, it gives a completely new and refreshing taste. So, let's jump to the recipe.

Ingredients:

Onion - 1, chopped finely
Tomato - 1, chopped finely
White radish - 1 cup, chopped
Salt - 1 tsp
Jaggery - 1/2 tsp
Water - 3 cups
Oil -2 tsps
Instant Sambhar mix - 3 to 4 tbsps

For seasoning :

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Curry leaves - few
Red chillies - 2, broken
Onion - 1/2, chopped finely
Ghee / Oil - 2 tsps

Yields - 4 to 5 cups of Sambhar

Preparing Sambhar with Instant Sambhar mix :

Heat oil in a cooking pot and add the chopped Onions. Fry until the Onions are translucent.
Add in the chopped tomatoes and saute until they turn soft and mushy.
Dissolve the Instant Sambhar mix completely in half a cup of water and make sure there are no lumps.
Then add in the chopped radish with half cup of water to the onion tomato mixture. Close the lid and cook for 5 to 7 minutes.
Then add the dissolved Sambhar mix, remaining water, salt, jaggery and give it a mix. Let the mixture boil for a few minutes. Adjust the consistency of the Sambhar by adding more water if required. Then close the lid and let it cook until the radish is done.
Seasoning is completely optional to this sambhar, as the sambhar mix itself includes all the seasoning ingredients. But if seasoned, it definitely increases the flavour of the sambhar.
In a small pan, heat the oil / ghee. Once hot, add the mustard seeds. Once it splutters, add asafoetida, curry leaves, red chillies one by one. Finally add chopped onions and fry until they turn translucent. Transfer this seasoning into the boiling sambhar and take off from the heat.
Instant Sambhar is now ready to be served with hot rice, along with pickles and Papad. This sambhar is perfect for Vada sambhar as well, the famous crave during winter/rainy seasons.

* Seasoning is completely optional. But it adds really good flavor to the Sambhar. And I love it with seasoning.
* If desired, grind fresh coconut into a fine paste / add coconut milk to add more flavour.
* The sambhar becomes thick once it cools down. So make sure it's little bit on the liquidy side when you are done making it.

I am pretty sure, if you follow the recipe, you will love this sambhar in one go. Variations are unlimited to this Sambhar. If your basic recipe, the instant sambhar mix is done, then this sambhar gets done under 20 minutes. No cooking the dals or grinding any masalas in the last minute and perfect for singles/ when we have no mood to spend more time cooking in the kitchen. So, please do give it a try and let me know what was the result.
Hopefully you liked this recipe. Follow me on Google+ and Pinterest to get regular updates on newer posts. Thank you! Will be soon back with another post. Bye!

Instant Sambhar Mix recipe

2018-09-18T13:10:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't crave for hot home-cooked meal? We all do right? The most important thing in our South - Indian menu is the Sambhar. Sometimes you are in a hurry or you just don't want to spend much of your time in the kitchen. But the craving / necessity for a sambhar in our lunch / dinner menus,makes us spend a little more time cooking for the day. This recipe comes to the rescue at a time when we just want to speed up the process. And I can say, this is the best thing we can pack for our loved ones who stay away from home, like in hostels or those working abroad, without any family around to feed them hearty meals. Just chop a few veggies, toss it with onion and tomato, add this instant sambhar mix and boil with water for 15 mins. That's it!! Your instant hot sambhar is ready to be enjoyed in just 20 minutes. In my further post, I will explain in detail, how to use this Sambhar mix.
This whole idea flashed in my mind when I was just leaving for my native. I gave it a try and prepared Sambhar mix. When I finally made the sambhar with the mix, believe me, this was the best Sambhar I made in the recent days. Each time I have made Sambhar out of it, not even a drop of it was leftover. So, I decide to share this recipe here. It doesn't take much time as well. To prepare the sambhar mix, just dry roast the ingredients, powder it and store. Prepare sambhar in 20 minutes whenever you wish. This gives the authentic, homemade and the cooked-by-my-mother taste. So, let's see how the recipe goes.

Ingredients :

Tur dal - 1/2 cup
Coriander seeds - 1/2 cup
Channa dal - 4 tsp
Urad dal - 2 tsp
Bydagi / Kashmiri red chillies - 5
Guntur chillies - 4 ( hot variety )
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tbsp
Peppercorns - 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 2 tsps
Curry leaves - 10 to 15
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Tamarind - small lemon sized
Salt - 1 tsp

Preparing the Instant Sambhar mix :

In medium heat, dry roast each of the ingredients one after another. Transfer onto a plate.
Allow it to cool completely.
In a mixer, blend all the ingredients to a fine powder.
Add salt and blend once again. Transfer onto a plate.
Once the powder is completely cooled, transfer and store it in an airtight container. It stays fresh for more than 3 months.

Variations :
1/4 cup of Dessicated coconut can be made warm and added to the recipe.

Please feel free to give any feedbacks/ suggestions about the recipe.
Follow me on Google+ and Pinterest to get updates on newer posts. Thank you!!

Chia and Flax of seeds chutney powder

2018-09-05T11:51:00.000-07:00

Chia and Flax seeds chutney powder is one of the easiest and nutritious accompaniment for Idlis/ Dosa/ Roti/ Rice with ghee etc. The tiny Chia seeds are a wonder house of nutrients since they are rich in fibre, protein and Calcium. Their high fibre content they make you feel full. Flax seeds and Chia seeds are both rich in Protein , fibre and Omega - 3 fatty acids. So, why not incorporate these two in our diets?
Personally, I prefer to consume Chia seeds in the form of powder. The routine usage of Chutney powders along with our breakfast recipes add to the benefit of my preference. So I have come up with this recipe of Chutney powder containing Chia seeds and flax seeds to our very regular Chana dal chutney powder. This Chutney powder has claimed a new entry to my pantry in the recent months.
Chillies in the recipe can be added / omitted completely to one's own preference.

Ingredients:

Flax seeds - 3 tbsp
Chia seeds - 3 tbsp
Channa dal - 3 tbsp (Split Chickpeas)
Urad dal - 3 tbsp (Split and dehusked Black gram)
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Red chillies - 4( Byadagi - 3,Guntur - 3)
Tamarind - a small lemon sized
Salt - 1/2 tsp

Preparing Chutney powder :

Heat a pan over medium heat. Dry roast flax seeds until a popping sound is heard. Transfer it onto a plate. Make sure to dry roast the ingredients in a low to medium heat to prevent them from burning and to ensure their taste don't alter.
Similarly, dry roast Chia seeds, Urad dal, Channa dal, Cumin seeds, the chillies, Curry leaves and Tamarind , one after another. Transfer to the plate and let it cool.
Grind the ingredients in a mixer until it's coarse to semi - fine. Transfer to a plate. Add the salt and mix well.
Once the powder cools completely, transfer it into an air tight container.

This chutney powder stays fresh for more than 3 months if stored properly. A tablespoon of this, is a healthy accompaniment with Idli, Dosa, Chapatis and also hot rice with ghee. This powder can also be used when preparing any Vegetable side dishes like stir - fry. If not this chutney powder, Chia and flax seeds can just be dry roasted and powdered and this powder can be used in the dishes of your choice.
So, this was the recipe of Chia and Flax seeds chutney powder. Hopefully this recipe turns out good for you..
Follow me on Google+ and Pinterest to get updates on newer posts. Thanks for stopping by!

Coriander rice recipe

2018-09-02T15:20:00.001-07:00

This is the most easiest and flavorful one pot rice recipe which can be prepared in very little time. Who would not love a nice, flavorful rice, appealing to the taste buds? If you are planning to a party or a pot-luck, especially for those who love Coriander, it's a must try. I have come up with this recipe since I love both Coriander and rice. Since rice is our staple food, I always try giving some twists to the regular recipes or entirely create a new recipe as well. For example, this Coriander rice recipe. Whatever the party / get - together is, or just a family dinner ( especially in Indian families), there has to be a rice dish. This is easy, not at all time- consuming but still it will be a hit with your family/ friends too. So let's see how to make this Coriander rice.

Ingredients :

To grind:

Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece, peeled and chopped
Garlic cloves - 1 or 2
Cinnamon stick - 1 small piece
Cloves - 2
Stone flower - 1 small piece ( optional)
Green chillies - 2
Cardamom pod - 1

Other ingredients:

Bay leaf - 1
Fresh/ frozen peas - 1/2 cup
Rice ( Sona Masuri/ Basmati rice ) - 1 cup,washed and soaked for 30 mins
Water - 2 cups if using Sona Masoori rice, 1 1/2 cups if using Basmati rice
Ghee -1 tsp
Oil - 2 tsps
Salt - 1 tsp
Lemon juice - 1/2 tsp

Preparing Coriander rice:

While using Coriander, lot of us waste the tender stems. Since they add a lot to the flavor, I am using the stems here to prepare Coriander water. Just wash the stems and add to a cup of boiling water. Close a lid on the vessel and simmer for 5 minutes. Use this water instead of the normal water. The rice will turn more flavorful.
In a mixer jar, grind the ingredients mentioned under 'To grind' into a fine paste.
In a cooking pot, take 2 tsps of oil. Once it is hot, add the bay leaf and saute followed by the fresh / frozen peas. Add 1/2 tsp of salt and fry for a minute.
Then add in the ground paste and fry for 2 minutes. Pour the water / coriander water. Add the remaining salt and adjust it as per your taste.
Once the water starts boiling, add in the soaked rice and a tsp of ghee. Close the lid and let it cook in high flame for 5 minutes then reduce the heat to the lowest. The rice will be ready in 7 t0 10 minutes.
Squeeze in the lemon juice and give it a good mix, without breaking the rice.
Coriander rice is ready to be served wit any Salad/ Raitha / Gravy of your choice.

Hopefully you like the recipe and please feel free to give any feedbacks. Follow me on Google+ and Pinterest to receive updates on new posts . Thank you!!

Chilli stuffed Parota

2018-08-29T14:59:00.001-07:00

Hi!! This is a little different recipe that is a must try for those who love Chillies/ hot foods. You all must be wondering what in the world is today's post about. Chillies in Parota!! Yes, but relax. It's not those hot chillies, which are making their way into the Parota as a stuffing. It's the absolutely peppery chillies, similar to bell peppers and so, no need to panic. It also tastes similar to our own Bajji menasinakayi.

The popular recipe made in our native with the similar kind of chilli is the Bajji - Chllies dipped in gram flour mixture and fried. Menasinakayi bajji is made either stuffed or plain. It is eaten best especially on rainy/ chilly evenings with hot tea. Though we crave a lot for our desi snacks, I don't prefer to eat/ feed my family with fried food often unless we have to make them on any occasion. But I also wanted to try using them in different dishes. This Parota is one of them. In my further posts, I will share the other recipes made with them. For now, let's make the Parathas.

Ingredients :
For the stuffing :

Long chillies /Bajji Menasinakayi - 8 to 10
Biryani Masala - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp

For the dough :

Wheat flour - 1 cup
Salt 1/4 tsp
OIl 1 tsp + 1 tsp
Water - to knead

Making the Parathas:

To make the dough, take 1 cup of wheat flour in a bowl. Add salt and 1 tsp of oil. Mix it well. Add water little by little and knead into a smooth dough ( neither hard nor sticky ). Let it rest for half an hour.
Wash and pat dry the chillies with the help of a cloth. Slit in the middle of the chillie and remove as much seeds as possible. Cut in half. In a food processor / blender, pulse the de-seeded Chilli until it's in small pieces.
Heat a pan, add 1 tsp of oil. Then add cumin seeds and ginger garlic paste. After 30 seconds, add the pulsed Chillies and mix. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes and then add coriander powder, Biryani masala and finally add salt. Switch off the heat and transfer the mixture to a bowl, so that it cools faster. Use any biryani masala you have on hand or if not any, use a pinch of garam masala.
Once the mixture has completely cooled, we can make Parotas. Divide the wheat flour dough into 4 portions. Dust the rolling surface with some flour and roll the dough little so that it is more thicker in the center. Add the filling and seal the edges as shown.
Start rolling out again by dusting the flour. Take care that it is evenly rolled out. Do not worry if it's not in a circle shape ( mine are square shaped most of the time)
Heat a tawa or griddle, and transfer the rolled out Parota on to it. Add a tsp of oil/ butter on the sides and also the top surface. Flip the Parota once it's baked from underneath. Spread little butter/ oil on the other side as well now. Press the Parota gently with the back of your spoon , to ensure even baking.
Chilli Parota is now ready to be served ( best when hot). I have plated them here with Tomato gravy, Chia and Flax seeds Chutney powder with butter on top.

Do give a try to this slightly different Parota recipe and I would be pleased to get any feedbacks. Follow me on Google + and Pinterest to get updates on the latest posts. Thank you!!

Methi Pulao / Menthya bhaath recipe

2018-08-27T14:47:00.000-07:00

This is the easiest one-pot rice dish which will be ready within a short time. I personally love Methi leaves and I try to include Methi in as many dishes I can. Since we don't get fresh produce always, we have to depend on Frozen ones for our Methi requirement. But luckily I got fresh Methi leaves on my recent visit to the local Indian store and I grabbed 2 large bunches of them. We cannot exactly call them fresh, but we have to manage saying that. Since they travel a long way to reach us, they will look little wilted but once we wash them and allow it as it is for a few hours, it regains it freshness.

I love Methi pulao especially because of the slightly bitter taste it gives to the rice and the distinct aroma .If you are using the fresh leaves, you can easily say how good it tastes rather than the frozen ones.
Those who don't get either fresh or frozen Methi leaves, they can make this Pulao using Kasuri Methi as well. So let's look what goes into this Pulao.

Ingredients :

Methi leaves / Fenugreek leaves - 1 bunch / 1 cup ( chopped)
Rice - 1 cup (soaked for half an hour and drained)
Oil or ghee - 2 tbsp
Whole spices - Cloves - 2, Cardamom - 1 pod, Cinnamon stick - 1 inch piece, Peppercorns - 5 to 6, Bay leaf - 1, Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp, Stone flower - a small piece, Fennel seeds - few.
Onion - 1 big, chopped finely
Frozen/fresh peas - 1/2 cup
Tomato - 1 medium sized, chopped finely
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1 1/4 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder -1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/4 to 1/2 tsp
Water - 2 cups, boiled
Lemon juice - 1/2 tsp
Ghee - 1 tsp

Preparing Methi Pulao:

Heat 2 tbsp of oil or ghee in a pressure cooker / cooking pot. Add the whole spices and saute for a few seconds.
Add the chopped onions and fry until translucent. Midway, add ginger garlic paste.
Once the raw smell is gone, add in the frozen peas and the chopped methi leaves. Add turmeric powder and salt. Saute well for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add in the chopped tomatoes and saute. Once the tomatoes have become soft and mushy, add the Coriander powder, chilli powder and cumin powder and saute for 3 to 4 minutes. If you find the masala is burning or sticking to the bottom side of the pot, sprinkle some water.
Once the masala is blended well, pour in the boiling water* and let the whole mixture come to a boil. Check for salt. The water should be little on the salty side.
Now, add in the soaked and drained rice, a tsp of ghee, lemon juice. Give it a good mix and close the pot/ pressure cooker.

Hear 2 whistles and your Methi Pulao will be ready to eat, once the pressure goes off. If cooking in a pot, after closing the lid, cook in high flame for 5 minutes, Then, reduce the heat to low and let it cook until the rice is done. This will take around 10 to 15 minutes.
So, the Methi pulao will be ready within half an hour ( apart from the soaking time). Raitha of any variety goes well with this Methi pulao. That will be a filling meal with all the goodness of Fenugreek leaves.

* Adding boiling water speeds up the cooking process, especially when we are in a hurry. Of course, who wants to spend a lot of time standing in the kitchen.
So, this was about today's recipe and please do give it a try. If followed as per the recipe, you will be always successful in your first attempt at making this Pulao.
Follow me on Google+ and Pinterest to get updates on new posts. Thanks for stopping by!!

Moth beans gravy / Madike kaalu gojju recipe

2018-08-22T14:24:00.000-07:00

Moth beans is known by the name Madike kaalu in Kannada. This beans is used more in North Karnataka region in the form of gravy / stir-fry to go with Jolada rotti. It goes without saying they make a perfect pair for a lunch. I love North Karnataka food especially the Bhakris with all the varieties of Palya (stir-fry), Pickles, Jhunka (side- dish made with gram flour), Ennegayi (stuffed brinjals gravy) etc. I developed fondness for these since i visited the Kamat restaurant near Bangalore.. That would be our weekend place for lunch every time we drove to my native. But I was so indulged in finishing up my platter quickly , that i never noticed the Moth beans in it until recently.. I had seen them in our local Asian store in Germany too. So this time I bought a pack of it and decided to try something new on my own. I always prefer gravies to go with Chapati/ Rotti etc. So I just tossed some ingredients into the mixer and decided to experiment. But it was the best one I had in the recent days. I allowed the moth beans to sprout as it's nutritional value increases. So, here I am sharing the same recipe with you all.

Ingredients :

Sprouted moth beans - 1 cup
French beans - 1 cup ( chopped)
Onion - 1 large, chopped finely
Salt - 1 to 1 1/2 tsps
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Water - 1 cup
Oil - 3 t0 4 tsps
Lemon juice - 1/2 tsp

To grind :

Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Green chillies - 3 to 4, slit
Cinnamon stick - 1 inch piece
Clove - 1
Garlic cloves - 2 to 3
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp
Tomato - 1, chopped
Grated Coconut - 1/4 cup

Making Moth beans gravy:

Heat oil in a cooking pot. Add 1/2 tsp of Cumin seeds and saute followed by chopped onions. Saute until the onions turn translucent.
Meanwhile, grind the ingredients mentioned under 'to grind' with little water.
Once the onions are done, add the sprouted moth beans and chopped french beans along with salt and turmeric powder. Give it a mix and let it cook for a few minutes by mixing now and then. This removes the raw smell of the beans.
Then add in the ground paste and mix gently. Let it cook for 5 minutes. Saute in between.
Add 1 cup of water and salt and let it come to a boil. Adjust the salt and close the pot. Let it cook for 15 to 20 minutes in medium flame or until the beans get cooked well. Check and saute in between.
Once the beans get cooked, finish it off by adding lemon juice and chopped coriander leaves. This gravy can be served with Chapatis / Jowar roti/ Akki rotti and even rice. A bowl of this gravy along with any of the flatbreads is totally satiating.

The next time you wish to make something different for a side dish, please try this recipe and i would love to get your feedbacks on this recipe.
Follow me on Google+ and Pinterest to get updates on new posts. Thank you for dropping by!!

Chakli / Chakkuli/ Murukku / recipe

2018-08-20T15:09:00.000-07:00

Hi!! In my previous post, I had shared the way to prepare chakli flour/ Chakli mix, as we prepare in our homes. Today i will be sharing with you all, how we can make Chakli using Chakli flour instantly.
Staying abroad, we can neither bring each and everything from India nor we get anything of this sort here, like Chakli mix/ flour. But our taste buds crave for our desi snacks especially during those biting cold winter months. Though we get packaged snacks especially murukku, we don't prefer them. Most importantly, i don't want my kids to miss out on the snacks/ savouries we used to relish in our childhood. So i love to make snacks in bulk for my kids, so that they can have whenever they wish like we used to have them. This is the reason, i like to make each and everything at home. As I always say, Homemade things are the best!!
Preparing them is not at all a tough job . Just preparing the flour before hand and you are good to go. It's very similar to preparing Akki rotti but it takes lesser time to prepare Chaklis than the former ones. I will be sharing the instant version of Chakli recipe in my further posts.
The only thing which consumes time here is the frying process. For any deep fried snack like Chakli, Nippattu/ Kodubale etc we need to fry in medium to low flame by flipping the sides now and then. This allows the snacks to get cooked from within, which results in the crispiness of the snacks. So let's see how to prepare Chaklis from the Chakli flour.

Ingredients :

Chakli flour - 1 cup
Water - 1 1/4 cup
Sesame seeds - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida - a pnch
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Salt- 1//2 tsp
Butter - 1tsp
Oil - to deep fry Chaklis

Preparing Chaklis :

Pour the water into a cooking pot and heat in medium flame. Add Sesame seeds, Asafoetida, Cumin seeds, Salt and butter. Bring the water to boil.
As the water is boiling, add the Chakli flour and mix well immediately. Switch off the flame, close the pot with a lid and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Take off the lid and feel the dough. It should be warm to medium hot to touch. Knead it well to form a smooth dough. If you feel the dough is bit hard, little hot water can be added and kneaded to get a soft dough ( not too soft that it sticks or breaks when held). After kneading, apply few drops of oil over the dough.
Chakli maker is essential to make Chaklis. Thouroughly clean the Chakli press. Use the star shaped plate (shown in picture) and smear the insides with oil .
Divide the dough into three portions. Take 1 portion of the dough and put it into the chakli press. Gently ease the dough to the bottom of the Chakli press. Fasten the Chakli press and make it secure.
Heat the oil in a broad frying pan. On a oil smeared surface, or on a thick plastic sheet, slowly squeeze out the dough from the Chakli press and make little whirlpools out of it. This means, start squeezing the dough and from the start point, swirl the dough around, as shown in the picture. At the end pinch the edges so that it doesn't open while frying.
Once the oil is hot enough, drop int he Chaklis carefully. Let it fry for a minute on high flame and then reduce the heat to medium.Keep moving the Chaklis in the hot oil now and then to ensure even frying. After frying on one side for 2 minutes, flip the Chaklis and let them fry on that side as well.
Once the Chaklis are fried , take them out on to a paper towel. Repeat the same process with the other 2 parts of the dough until all Chaklis are done.

Make sure to grease the Chakli press each time you are filling the dough. This ensures easy movement of the dough inside the press.
Here in the last sentence, I won't say Chakli is ready to be served because I am pretty sure that anybody who is around you, will be eating them up as you are still making them. At least that's what happens in our household.

I trust this recipe as I have made this many times and it has never failed for me. I have tried store bought Chakli mix too and I was not happy with the way they turned out. This is such a perfect recipe that we will feel tempted to make and eat up all of them.
Hopefully you will try the recipe!!
Follow me on Google+ and Pinterest to get notifications on the new posts. Thank you!!

Chakli flour / Chakli mix recipe

2018-08-18T13:53:00.000-07:00

Chakli / Chakkuli/ Murukku/ Benne murukku - these are the names for the popular South Indian rice crackers. It can be prepared both traditional / authentic and instant ways. I am always inclined to the traditional / authentic, the way which our families would make in a bulk. As kids, we all have beautiful memories of the snacks and savories made by our mothers' or anyone in the family. Murukku or Chakkuli is one of those snacks we used to enjoy as kids. It is also called Benne murukku, as Benne means butter, which is of course in the recipe and also since it has a lovely crisp and crumbly texture as a result of butter. I am here sharing the recipe made in my family, which involves initially preparing the flour for Chakkuli .This can be stored in an air tight container for months together and little quantities can be made using the flour, whenever required. I usually prefer it this way to the instant ones. As my kids love Chakli, it is always good for me to have some on hand. So let's move to the recipe.

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 kg / 4 cups
Urad dal - 250 gms / 1 cup or 3/4 cup of Urad dal + 1/4 cup of fried gram (hurigadale)

Preparing Chakli flour :

In a big bowl, wash the rice well and drain the water completely .
On a clean and large cloth, preferably cotton, spread the rice and allow it to dry in shade. Do not dry under the sun.
Once the rice is dry, powder it along with urad dal and fried gram. Add a teaspoon of salt and mix well.
Transfer it into an airtight container. This Chakli mix/ flour can be stored for more than 6 months. No refrigeration required.

Preparing this flour is not at all a tedious task. Since we make large quantity here, it can be used as and when required to make small batches of Chakli, which the young and old love alike to have.

In my next post, I will share how to make Chaklis with this flour. Till then, bye.

My Vacation Post

2018-08-17T15:13:00.001-07:00

Smarties Chocolate cake

Hello everyone!!! Last few weeks have been really hectic for me as it was the Summer Vacation and with my kids around, I could never make some time for my blog. It is feeling as if I have resumed writing after a really long gap, but it has just been a month. I thoroughly enjoy writing especially here, in my space and sharing things which i had been missing out on ,since a month. But i really had a good time with my kids. The vacation also kept me busy with visiting friends, get-togethers and short trips.
Meanwhile, we celebrated the birthday of my elder son who just turned 7, in July. Initially we had planned to celebrate by taking our son to the nearest amusement park, but he wished for a birthday party with his friends instead. And that was decided by him just 3 days before his birthday!!! Though I had hardly any time for preparations, somehow I managed to make my Son happy by making the cake of his wish. He had wished for a Football themed cake and also a Smarties surprise cake. I had no time to make 2 cakes. So I just clubbed both ideas and made a large chocolate cake filled with Smarties on the inside and with a football themed, edible cake topper which was the highlight. He was delighted by the sight of Smarties pouring out when he cut the cake.

Since we invited our Indian friends, party menu was Indian too.Everything is homemade, except the naan.

Along side the birthday cake, I made many other cakes, of which ,I unfortunately couldn't take any pictures. I tried out some new recipes in my Kitchen and also made some snacks in bulk for my kids.

Chakli/ Murukku

Almond Biscotti

Laddoo

As the school started I had to bake couple of more cakes to take for the fresher's party. Even here, I missed on taking pictures. But henceforth i will try to take a pic of each cake i bake.
Below is the pic of a cake I made for a friend.

Chocolate cake with Smarties

So, this is almost like a comeback post on my blog for me, after a break of a month. Hope you liked the pics though! Follow me on Google+ and Pinterest to get updates on new posts.
Until my next post.. bye!

Akki shyavige uppittu/ Rice Vermicelli Upma

2018-07-29T15:34:00.000-07:00

This is the easiest recipe than the normal Upma we prepare. i had tried this recipe a couple of times, when we used to stay in Bangalore. but it did not turn out well then. It would either be too soggy or sometimes little uncooked. But now, with practice, I am able to make this dish and I absolutely love the taste and texture of this Akki shyavige. This is a really easy and quick breakfast addition. And especially popular among the kids. So let's look in to the recipe.

Ingredients :

Rice Vermicelli/ Rice noodles/ Akki shyavige - 1 cup
Water - 3 cups
Salt - 1 tsp
Oil - 4 tsps
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cashews - few
Peanuts - 2 tbsp
Channa dal - 1 tsp
Green chillies - 2 to 3, slit
Curry leaves - few
Onion - 1 medium, sliced
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Lemon juice - 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp, chopped

Making Akki shyavige Uppittu/ Rice vermicelli Upma :

Heat 3 cups of water with 1 tsp of oil and 1/2 tsp of salt. Let it come to rolling boil. Add 1 cup of Rice vermicelli and continue to boil for 2 minutes. Check if the vermicelli is getting cooked sooner. After 2 minutes, drain the water using a siever.Let the cold water run through the cooked noodles until all the heat is gone. This ensures it doesn't cook further and stick together.
In a cooking pot/ pan, heat 3 tsp of oil and add the mustard seeds. Once it splutters, add Cumin seeds, cashews, Channa dal, Curry leaves, Peanuts and split green chillies. Saute for a minute.
Then add in the sliced onions and saute until translucent. Add 1/2 tsp salt and turmeric powder. Mix well.
Add in the cooked rice vermicelli and gently mix with.
Finally , add the lemon juice and garnish with coriander leaves.

Enjoy as it is or with Chutney/ Pickle / Chips too, of your choice.

Note : After draining and letting cold water run through the noodles, add a teaspoon of oil and mix them. This way you can avoid the noodles sticking to one another. And also it helps if you are willing to just prep the noodles to mix with the seasoning later in the day.

Mixed veg gravy recipe

2018-07-16T14:10:00.000-07:00

Mixed vegetable gravy is the most easiest and simplest gravy recipe you can make to go with anything from Dosa/ Idli / Chapatis to any varieties of rice like Pulav or plain rice. I can say, this is the basic recipe for many other gravies. Initially when I started cooking, I had literally learnt this recipe by heart. I have played with the ingredients and the veggies and made many other 8varieties. So, let's take a look at this recipe, with mixed vegetables in it.

Ingredients :

Mixed veggies - French beans, Carrots, Peas, Potatoes etc - 2 cups
Any beans - 1/2 cup (optional ). I have used black eyed beans here.
Oil - 3 tsp
Water - 1 to 1 1/2 cup
Salt - 1 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves - 3 to 4 sprigs, chopped finely

To grind :

Coconut ( fresh or frozen ) - 1/2 cup
Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon stick - 1 inch piece
Cloves - 2
Mutton sambhar powder * - 3 tsp
Onion - 1 medium, chopped
Tomato - 1, medium ,chopped

Preparing Mixed veg gravy :

Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add all the vegetables and beans. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring now and then.
Grind the ingredients mentioned under ' To grind' into a fine paste.
Once the raw smell of the vegetables is gone, add the ground masala and saute for 7 to 8 minutes.
Then add the water and salt. Let it boil. Take care not to add too much water, or else it will result in Sambhar and not gravy. Adjust the salt and close the pressure cooker. Hear 2 whistles.
Open the cooker once the pressure releases and garnish with coriander leaves. The Mixed vegetable gravy is ready to be served with Chapatis/ Dosa/ Rice and it goes especially well with my Ghee rice.

* Mutton Sambhar powder is a masala powder prepared using Byadagi chillies and coriander seeds. This is used in non vegetarian recipes and also to enhance the taste of some other recipes. This powder is not available out in the markets, but prepared in our families in Karnataka. It can be substituted by adding 2 tsp Coriander powder and 1/2 tsp Guntur chilli powder + 1/2 tsp byadagi chilli powder. I will post the recipe of the same in my further posts.

Note : Coconut milk can be substituted for fresh/frozen coconut.

So, as you see, this is the simplest and easiest gravy you can make to go with anything and everything. You can go easy on the varieties of vegetables you want to use for this recipe. Or you can just make it with a single vegetable / beans. I have made this recipe more than a hundred times since I have started cooking, and it has never ever gone wrong. You have my word for it . It's really worth giving this recipe a try.. Please do give it a try as it is or with your own variations and let me know how you liked it..
Follow me on Google+ or Pinterest to get regular updates on new posts.
Thank you!!

Foxtail millet bisibele bhaat recipe

2018-07-14T08:45:00.000-07:00

Bisibele bhaat is my all time favourite main course dish, which is popular in Karnataka, especially the Mysore region . Oh how I love this Bisibele bhaat!! Generally it's one of the main course dish in marriage and other functions too. The reason is - Compared to any other rice recipes, Bisibele bhaat can be served to comparitively larger crowd, using lesser quantity of ingredients.
It is a one pot dish typically prepared using tur dal, rice and veggies. But here's the twist as here in this recipe, it's made with Foxtail millets instead of rice. This was the idea suggested by one of my friends and it really worked well for me. As I am from Karnataka, I crave for Rice at meal times. Nothing can beat rice in giving us that feeling of content at meal times. At the same time we have to be conscious about the amount of rice intake. In this recipe, Millets are used instead of rice. This is one more addition to the Millets recipes. So let's check the recipe.

Ingredients :

Tur dal / split Pigeon peas- 1/4 cup
Foxtail millets - 1/2 cup
Vegetables - Beans, Carrots, Potatoes - each 1/4 cup, chopped
Frozen / fresh peas - 1/4 cup
Garlic - 2 cloves
Onion - 1 big, chopped finely
Tomato - 1, chopped finely
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Bisibele bahaat Powder - 2 tbsp
Jaggery - 1 tsp
Tamarind juice - 1 tbsp
Water - around 3 cups
Salt - 2 tsps
Oil - 2 tsp
Dry coconut - 1/4 cup , grated or powdered (optional)

For seasoning:

Ghee - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cashews -5 , halved
Asafoetida / hing - a pinch
Curry leaves - few
Red chillies - 2 to 3, broken

Preparing Bisi bele bhaat :

Wash the tur dal and the millets well.
In a frying pan, heat a teaspoon of oil and then add crushed garlic pods.

Fry for a minute and then add chopped onion and fry until translucent. Add the tomatoes and repeat the same procedure.
In a pressure cooker, add the washed tur dal, millets, chopped vegetables, Frozen/ fresh peas, salt - 1tsp ,turmeric powder and the sauteed garlic, onions and tomatoes.
Add the water and pressure cook until 2 whistles are heard.
Once the pressure releases, add water, tamarind juice, jaggery, salt 1 tsp.
In a separate bowl, dissolve 2 tbsp Bisibele bhaat powder in 1/4 cup water. This is done because the powder turns into lumps if added directly.
Pour the dissolved bisibele bhaat powder into the pressure cooker and mix everything gently. Take care to cook now in low flame as there are high chances of the tur dal sticking to the bottom. Keep stirring the mixture now and then. Let it cook in low flame for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, we can prepare the seasoning. In a small pan, heat the oil and ghee. Add Mustard seeds. Let it splutter. Then add the Cashews, Asafoetida, Red chillies, Curry leaves one after another and saute. Pour the seasoning over the Bisibele bhaat.

Finish it off by adding coriander leaves and grated dry coconut.
Bisibele bhaat is now ready to be served and it goes really well with ghee and Khaara boondi. Not to forget our favourite, Mosaranna ( Rice with yoghurt, seasoned with a few spices).
Bisibele bhaat, Dal vada, Khaara boondi , Mosaranna ( yoghurt rice ) , Payasa( dessert ) - this will be the typical menu on certain festivals and to the closest guests that arrive in our family.

Note :

Adding ghee for the seasoning enhances the flavor of the Bisibele bhaat.
If you are the one having digestion problems/ bloating sensation, go easy on Asafoetida and add generous 2 to 3 pinches of it during seasoning. This helps the Masalas and Tur dal go easy on your stomach.

Though Bisibele bhaat powder is readily available in the market, I prefer to make my own masala powder. I will be sharing the recipe of the same in my furher posts. There will be a huge difference in the final outcome and as I always say, Homemade things always are the best.
Please try this recipe and if you find it good, share your views and comments. Follow me on Google+ and Pinterest to get regular updates of new posts. Thank you!

Tomato gojju / Tomato gravy recipe

2018-07-12T14:48:00.001-07:00

Tomato gojju/ gravy is the easiest and quickest side dish for Dosa/ Chapati / Akki rotti which can be prepared under 10 to 15 minutes. It's one of my favourite with Akki rotti. This gravy can be prepared in another way by adding coconut and few other spices. I will post the recipe further. For today, I am posting this quickest version of tomato gojju recipe.

Ingredients :

Tomatoes - 3, chopped finely
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Green / red chillies - 3 to 4, slit
Onion - 1 big, sliced
Green peas - 1/2 cup
Salt - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp ( optional)
Oil - 2 tsp
Coriander leaves - 2 sprigs, chopped finely

Preparing Tomato gravy:

Heat oil in a cooking pot, add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
Then add Cumin seeds, curry leaves and green chillies one after another and fry for a minute.
Add the sliced onions and fry until translucent.
Add the green peas and let it cook for a minute.
Then add the chopped tomatoes, salt and turmeric powder. Mix well and let cook until the tomatoes are soft and mushy. If required, add chilli powder and mix. Tomatoes release water and thereby giving a gravy like texture. If the mixture seems to be dry, add 1/4 cup of water and let cook for few more minutes.
Once the mixture gets cooked, finish it off by adding coriander leaves.
This is a perfect side dish for Dosa/ Chapati/ Akki rotti.

Do try this recipe and follow me on Google+ to receive regular updates on new recipes. Thank you!

Masala vegetable khichdi/ Mung dal Masala Khichdi

2018-07-11T12:34:00.002-07:00

Khichdi is made generally with Mung dal or Split and dehusked green gram but it's also made in many other ways with different ingredients. It's made plain with just adding seasoning to cooked mung dal and rice or by spicing it up with different spices. Khichdi is very popular in Indian cuisine since it's easily digestible. The plain variety is mostly served when someone is down with health issues. A bowl of masala khichdi tastes especially good on a chilly winter day, may it be for breakfast/ dinner/ lunch. So let's see what all needs to be done for this recipe.

Ingredients :

Rice - 1/2 cup
Mung dal/ Split and dehusked green gram - 1/2 cup
Oil - 2 tbsp
Bay leaf - 1
Onion - 1, medium, chopped finely
Mixed Vegetables (French beans, Carrots, Peas, Potatoes) - 1 cup (optional)
Water - 2 cups
Lemon juice - 1/2 tsp
Ghee - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp

To grind :

                 Peppercorns - 3/4 tsp
                 Cumin seeds - 3/4 tsp
                 Ginger - 1 inch piece
                 Garlic cloves - 2
                 Cinnamon stick - 1 small
                 Cloves - 1 or 2
                 Coconut - 1/4 cup ( optional)
                 Coriander leaves - 3 to 4 sprigs

Preparing Masala Khichdi :

Wash and soak the rice for half an hour.
Dry roast the Mung dal in low flame for 2 minutes.
Grind the ingredients mentioned under 'To grind' into a fine paste, by adding little water.
In a pressure cooker or a cooking pot, heat the oil. Add Bay leaf and fry for a few seconds.
Add in the chopped onions and fry till translucent followed by the vegetables. Add salt and turmeric powder which cooks the veggies faster. Fry for 2 minutes, stirring now and then.
Add the ground paste and fry for 3 to 4 minutes.
Pour the 2 cups of water and let it come to a boil. In the meantime, drain the water from soaked rice and keep ready.
Once the water starts to boil, adjust the salt and add the soaked rice, ghee and lemon juice. Give it a mix and close the pot/ pressure cooker. Hear 2 whistles and switch off the pressure cooker. If cooking in a pot, cook the initial 5 minutes in high flame, then simmer to lowest and cook until rice is done. This takes around 15 minutes to cook in a pot.
Masala Vegetable khichdi is ready to be served with any raitha/ plain yogurt/ any curry of your choice.

Note : Khichdi is always little mushy and it doesn't get cooked like each grain separate, as we do in Pulav of any kind. This is because the mung dal gets cooked very fast and also because of the addition of coconut paste.
Please do try this recipe and let me know how it turned out for you. Follow me on Google+ to get regular updates about new posts.. Thank you!

White capsicum Masala/ White Hungarian pepper Masala

2018-07-09T10:04:00.000-07:00

This is a super easy side dish recipe for Chapati/ Dosa/ Roti/ Rice and also a great filling in sandwiches. The other day, on our weekend shopping, I just happened to come across these gorgeous white, elongated peppers in the supermarket. As I had not seen them before, I was just curious and also since I love any kind of dish with peppers, i just bought them. I researched a bit and found out they are the White Hungarian peppers.

I tried making a very basic masala which can be done within a very little time and it came out well. This recipe can also be prepared using any kind of peppers. So here I am sharing the same with you all.

Ingredients :

White Hungarian peppers - 2 cups, Chopped
Onion - 1 medium sized, chopped finely
Tomato - 1, chopped finely
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Green / Red chillies - 2 to 3
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Cashews - few, broken
Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp, chopped
Garam masala - a pinch
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - 1 tsp

Preparing the Masala:

Heat oil in a pot, and add the mustard seeds. Once it splutters, add Cumin seeds, cashews, curry leaves, Green/ red chillies and fry for a few seconds.
Then add in the onions and fry until it is translucent.
Drop in the chopped Hungarian peppers with turmeric powder and a pinch of salt and fry for a minute.
Add the chopped tomatoes and fry until they turn soft and mushy.
Then add the coriander powder, garam masala and salt. Fry for 2 minutes or until the masala is well incorporated.
Finish off the dish by adding coriander leaves.
White Capsicum masala is now ready to be served. It goes best with Chapatis/ Dosa/ Akki rotti/ Hot rice with ghee. It also makes a great filling in the sandwiches, provided it's chopped finely.

Cauliflower gravy recipe

2018-07-07T15:04:00.001-07:00

Cauliflower gravy goes well with Chapati/ Idli/ Poori etc. Since Cauliflower gets cooked faster and not so elaborate procedure, it can be prepared quickly. I got this recipe from one of my aunts and I liked it from the first time she made it for us. So, credits to her.
Though I am not a fan of Cauliflower, I do like it in this recipe. And since I made it for my family, they have started liking it too. This is an added advantage as I keep looking out for easy gravies to prepare to go with Chapatis, Idlis etc. Here I have used just Cauliflower but you can add frozen peas or capsicum / Bell peppers. So now let's move to the recipe.

Ingredients :

Cauliflower florets - 2 cups
Coconut - 1/2 cup ( fresh or frozen)
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Roasted gram - 2 tbsps
Green chillies - 2
Garlic cloves - 2
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup
Curry leaves - few
Tamarind - small lemon sized
Onion - 1, medium, chopped
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Water - 1 cup

Preparing Cauliflower gravy :

In a mixer, grind coconut, cumin seeds, ginger, roasted gram, green chillies, coriander and curry leaves and tamarind into a fine paste.
In a cooking pot/ pressure cooker, heat the oil. Then add the chopped onions and fry until translucent.
Then add the cauliflower florets and fry for a minute or two.
Then add the ground paste and fry until the raw smell goes.
Pour a cup of water into the pot and add in the salt. Let it come to a boil and then adjust the salt as per your taste. Do not add more water.
Close the pot/ pressure cooker. Hear 1 whistle in the pressure cooker as the cauliflower cooks faster. If cooking in a pot, check after 10 minutes and switch off the flame when you find the cauliflower is cooked. Do not overcook as the cauliflower gets mushy. Even after switching off the flame, it cooks in the heat of the gravy.
This cauliflower gravy goes well with Chapatis/ Idlis/ Naan etc. Since it's low in the amount of spices used, it will be loved by kids too.

Badam/ Almond Katli recipe

2018-07-05T14:21:00.002-07:00

Badam/ Almond katli is one of the easiest sweets to prepare on any occasion. It is the only sweet my son enjoys happily. He likes it so much so that he's hesitant to share it with anybody ( not a good thing, though). I love all types of Indian sweets and so I tend to eat more than half of them. So i normally avoid preparing any sweets/desserts. But this is the one I prepare frequently for my son. We prepare many other sweets/ desserts with almonds like Almond rolls, Badam/ Almond burfi, Badam kheer, even Badam Obbattu/ Puranpoli etc. I have even made my Almond bites, tasting heavenly with dark chocolate. But this is the only recipe that takes very minimal time to prepare and hence no stress at all. It has very less amount of sugar so that we don't have to feel guilty while eating.

This sweet tastes like Marzipan, which is also made with almond meal and sugar. But the Marzipan is like with a foldable consistency whereas the Katlis are fudgy. Marzipan is used to cover the cakes, like a fondant and also to decorate the cakes, or it can be just eaten like that. That was about Marzipan. Now, let's look out for the recipe of Almond/Badam katli.

Ingredients:

Blanched and finely powdered almonds - 1 cup
Sugar - 1/4 cup
Water - 2 tbsp
Milk powder - 1/2 cup
Cardamom powder - a pinch ( optional)

Making Almond Katli :

Take sugar in a non-stick pan and add the water. Water quantity should be just that it's enough to cover the sugar.
Put the stove on medium and stir the sugar in water until it dissolves.
Once the sugar dissolves, increase the heat and let the sugar syrup cook, stirring in between.
After 3- 4 minutes, take a drop of the sugar syrup in between your fingers and stretch. this should form a single thread like in between your fingers.
Reduce the heat. Then add the powdered almonds. Mix well and add the milk powder. Continue cooking until the mixture comes together and forms a mass. If desired, add cardamom powder at this stage and mix.
Transfer the mixture onto a plate and let it cool.

Once it's heat is manageable ( still hot, but manageable) , roll the mixture into a ball.
With the help of a dowel, flatten the roll on a greased butter paper. Try to keep it in a rectangle shape. If not, just cut the excess on the sides to bring it into a rectangle shape.
Once it cools for a few minutes, make slits all over in a diamond shape. Cut when they cool completely.
It can be stored it in an air tight container and enjoyed for a week. I doubt it stays for such long, since it tempts us to eat them one after another.

Tip : If the mixture becomes too hard, add a tablespoon of milk and transfer the contents to the pan again. Stir it until it comes again to the lump form. Then transfer onto the paper and roll.
So, this was the recipe of Badam/ Almond katli. This can also be made in a different way by soaking the almonds, grinding and frying this until a lump forms. The rest of the procedure is same. I will be sharing that recipe in another post. Please do try making these and if you like it, I'd love to hear back from you. Thank you!

Radish Broccoli Pulav recipe

2018-07-03T06:11:00.000-07:00

This is a very mild pulav recipe as we don't use too many masalas/ spices and chillies. As i have discussed in my earlier posts, I try to make most of the vegetables which i get from the farmer's market. One day, as i was prepping to store the vegetables into the refrigerator, the idea of this recipe crossed my mind spontaneously. Since our inclination to rice recipes is more, I always look forward to experiment with different rice dishes using combination of vegetables. There are not too many recipes, from our native cuisine, in which we use radish. So i thought this might be one more addition to the radish dishes.. And it turned out really good. Since this is a one - pot recipe, it's perfect to be made on weekends for lunch or dinner.
Though the radish has a strong taste, the addition of the spices and the initial saute removes most of it's strong odour. Once the rice is cooked, it's hard to say it's made with radish. So this is the best way for those who like to include radish in their diets but don't like it's strong flavor or odour. Especially for the kids who are reluctant to eat their veggies, especially radish, this is The Best. So let's make it.

Ingredients :

Broccoli - 1 cup, cut into small florets
Radish - 1 cup, grated
Bay leaf - 1
Clove - 1
Cinnamon stick - 1/2" piece
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds - 5-6
Peppercorns - few
Onion - 1 medium, sliced thinly
Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Chilli paste - 1/2 tsp
Rice - 1 cup, washed and soaked for half an hour
Salt - 1 tsp or to taste
Water - 2 cups
Olive oil - 2 tsps
Ghee - 1 tsp
Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp, chopped finely

Preparing Radish Broccoli Pulav:

In a cooking pot, heat the olive oil. Add the bay leaf, clove, cinnamon, fennel seeds, peppercorns and saute for a minute.
Add in the chilli paste, sliced onions and ginger garlic paste. Fry until the onions turn translucent.
Add the grated radish, 1/2 tsp salt and saute for 2 to 3 minutes, until it's raw smell vanishes and gets cooked a bit.
Pour in the water and let it come to a boil. Add the salt and check.
Then add the broccoli florets, soaked rice and ghee. Mix well. Close the pot with the lid and let it cook initially on high flame for 5 minutes and then simmer until the rice is completely cooked. It takes around 10 to 12 minutes to cook in low flame.
After the rice gets cooked, garnish with coriander leaves and now the radish broccoli pulav is ready to be served.
This Pulav can be served along with yoghurt, salad or even chutneys as it's mild in taste.

Note : To avoid the Broccoli turning mushy, it can be added halfway through the rice cooking process. That is, Broccoli can be added midway when the rice is cooking in slow heat ( 6-7 minutes after simmering).

So, this was the recipe of Radish broccoli pulav. Give it a try and let us know how it turned out for you. Any variations and suggestions are always welcome. Will get back with another recipe very soon..
Please subscribe to the blog to receive updates on new posts. thank you!

Channa dal chutney powder/ Split brown chickpeas Chutney powder

2018-07-02T09:13:00.002-07:00

Chutney Powder is a good accompaniment for Dosas, chapatis or any other flat breads. It goes well with hot rice and ghee. Generally Dosa/ Chapatis are smeared in oil/ ghee and then dipped in Chutney powder and tasted. Or just mix a teaspoonful of powder in ghee/ Gingelly oil/ Coconut oil and it's ready to eat. It's a quick fix, in case we aren't able to / not interested to make any chutneys. Usually it's made in bulk and stored in air tight containers so that it can be used anytime. I always have a box of chutney powder ready in my kitchen. It's the most demanded one by my kids, to have with dosa/ chapatis/ parathas . We make varieties of chutney powders like Peanut chutney powder, Curry leaves chutney powder, Flax seeds chutney powder etc etc. Today I am sharing here the very basic recipe of Channa dal chutney powder.

Ingredients:

Channa dal / Split brown chickpeas - 1 cup
Urad dal / Split Black gram - 3/4 cup
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 1/2 cup
Red chillies - byadagi / kashmiri red chillies - 2, guntur chillies - 2
Tamarind - small lemon size
Salt - 1 tsp
Dry coconut powder - 1/4 cup

Preparation:

On medium heat, dry roast all the ingredients one after another.
Let it cool to room temperature.
Grind the ingredients to a coarse powder.
Enjoy with Idli /Dosa/ Chapati/ Paddu. Here I am pairing it with Ghee to go with Carrot and Broccoli Paddus.

Or let it cool completely and then transfer it into an airtight container.
This chutney powder can also be sprinkled on any bread layered with butter too.

Note : The number of chillies can be varied as per your preference. Add more Byadagi / kashmiri red chillies to get a darker colour.
This chutney powder can be stored for up to 3 months.

Broccoli Paratha recipe / Broccoli flatbread

2018-06-29T04:54:00.002-07:00

Paratha or Parotas are very familiar to us Indians. They are made either plain or stuffed with a variety of vegetables. I have been making different varieties of parathas and broccoli paratha is one of them.
Initially when I arrived in Germany, I was reluctant to try with many vegetables here. We, in India, had seen many of them, just in the vegetable charts or while studying their nutritional benefits. Though we had seen Broccoli rarely in some of the supermarkets, the price would keep us from buying. It gets perished very soon and that was the added demerit. Once I tried using Broccoli and it turned mushy very soon, as I wasn't aware how to cook it exactly. So I dropped the idea of using it.
Then, it was my Thai friend who encouraged me to consider trying it once again, because of it's health benefits. I decided and sauteed the broccoli, the way she said and trust me, I loved it.

It became one of the healthy additions to my side dishes. The above pic is from my lunch - Vegetable dosa, sauteed broccoli, Omlette and Raw carrot with Dal.

As none of my family member was ready to try sauteed broccoli and me, adamant to make my kids eat Broccoli, I decided to give it a twist by stuffing them into parathas. Then came this recipe into action. It was so well accepted by my kids. In this recipe, Broccoli can be chopped into little florets, washed and pulsed in a mixer. Or it can be washed and grated.

Ingredients:

Broccoli - 1/2 cup ,Pulsed or grated
Oil - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder- 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder- 1/4 tsp
Dry mango powder - a pinch
Chilli powder- 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp

For the dough :

Wheat flour - 1 cup
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 2 tsps
Carom seeds/ Ajwain - 1/4 tsp (optional)

Making Broccoli Parathas:

Preparing the dough:

In a mixing bowl, add the wheat flour, salt, carom seeds and oil. Mix well. Add required quantity of water and knead the dough so that it is pliable. Take care not to make it very hard or soft and sticky dough.

For the stuffing :

In a small pan, heat the oil and add the pulsed or grated Broccoli and sauté for a minute.
Then add the turmeric powder , chilli powder, coriander and cumin powders and Dry mango powder. Mix well and fry for 2 minutes.
Then switch off the flame and let it cool. Once cooled, add the salt and mix.

Making the parathas:

Divide the prepared dough into 4 portions and roll into balls.
Dust the kitchen counter with wheat flour and roll them with the help of a rolling pin. It should be rolled so that it's thicker in the center and towards the edges.
Place 1 tbsp of the stuffing in the center and close in the edges towards the centre without breaking the dough.
Again dust the flour and roll into parathas. Sprinkle little flour to avoid it sticking to the rolling pin or the counter.
Heat a tawa or a griddle, smear it with little oil/ butter and roast the parathas on both the sides evenly. Light brown spots appear when they are nicely roasted.
Apply butter or ghee and the broccoli paratha can be served with either yoghurt/ chutney or any gravy of your choice.

Note : If required, Garam masala powder can be added for additional flavour.

This is the easiest way to make the kids eat their veggies. We can just apply some butter on the paratha and sprinle some chutney powder and roll it, so that the kids can hold it in their hands and eat. by rolling it, we can also pack it in an aluminium foils and pack it for outdoors/ picnics. That would be the perfect , homemade lunch for the kids , on the go. In fact, I made a big batch of these parathas, (before leaving for India ) and froze them. I wanted to make sure my son wouldn't miss having them, when I was not around. So, do try making it and I would be happy to hear from you, if you liked it.. Will get back with the next recipe soon.. Bye!